A Mermaid's Tail
by sgcycle
Summary: Once Upon A Time...there was an enchanting mermaid who longed for a life out of the sea. We all know this classic tale...or we think we know. This is how it might have happened in the Fairytale World that was...appearances by Rumplestilskin, the Evil Queen, Snow, Ella, and much more!
1. Chapter 1

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney. **

**Chapter 1**

Just beyond the Enchanted Forest lies the ocean, the water as blue as a blue bird and as clear as crystal. Deep and dark and mysterious, there is an entirely different world hidden here from the surface dwellers. This world is very, very dangerous; so dangerous, that your life can be snatched away by all manner of sea creatures, maelstroms, and rip tides. Here be the mermaids. These are not the sweet, innocent beings believed to be the meekest of all sea creatures. These are true mermaids of legend, able to lure a sailor to his doom with one stanza of a sinister song. Beautiful but deadly they travel in pods ruled by the strongest female and terrorize all unfortunate souls who stray too close to their territory. Dragging their victims down to the depths, they will drown any wretched man and devour his earthly remains right down to the bones. Or sometimes it is the other way around!

All but one. There was one mermaid that was different than the others…

She was an odd one. Quiet and thoughtful, she did not care for the killings. While her sisters loved the excitement of the hunt, she was bothered by all of it. She did not like to see the dead men or hear their cries as they were pulled under the water, never to see their surface world again. It made her so sad that she could not look away, even though she could not bear to see the fear in the human's eyes. After every hunt she would always just scavenge bits of food, feeling terribly guilty about what she was eating. Her sisters always made fun of her and her queen would often scoff at her overall sympathy for the plight of the humans. The icy mer-queen branded her a weakling and never failed to remind the little mermaid of this.

One morning, in the ambient light of the early dawn, the entire pod was breaking fast on leftovers from the night before. The queen of the pod surveyed her subject with a quick glance of her cold, steely eyes and saw the little mermaid off by herself, fiddling with a piece of cloth that had belonged to the overcoat of a sailor.

The mer-queen swam over fast and knocked the item out of the younger ones hands. "Look at you! Weeping over the remains of some fish-eater human as if the creatures possessed souls. You are a disgrace!"

This particular outburst had caused Ariel to flee in humiliation from her pod. She sought the sanctuary of an isolated rocky bay, outcropping far enough from the shore line that she was well hidden from wandering eyes. That she preferred her solitude was another oddity of hers; mermaids only traveled in schools. For now, all she wanted was a little time away from her family. She gripped the wet stone hard and hoisted herself up to perch delicately on the rock. As she adjusted her sitting position, being careful to keep her tail underwater, she heaved a frustrated, angry sigh.

"How can she say that! It's not fair," she murmured angrily to no one in particular, "She's so unfair!"

Ariel glanced over at the beach. From this angle she could see the deep, piercing green of the forest that lined the sandy seashore. The trees grew in such proximity it was hard to make out anything beyond a few meters of the sand. Further north the shore line ended abruptly with rocks harrowing the line of sand; only a few birds and sea creatures such as crabs called this in-between place home.

But humans also came here.

Ariel herself had seen many a fisherman and their families launching small vessels from these shores. She guessed that there was an establishment nearby where they would take their catch. What was the word…"village"? The boats were never big enough to catch the attention of her queen; mermaids were only interested in bringing down huge cargo ships with plenty of unlucky souls aboard. Ariel knew that she could lure a boat closer to her easily enough with her enchanting voice but she never wanted to. She was content to just watch from afar, fascinated with the actions of humans not vying for their lives. The way they walked, talked, and laughed at their cares…it was so interesting and amazing.

Today there was no one on the shore to watch. Ariel was saddened; she would have welcomed the diversion. Trying to think of something else that would distract her, she started singing a song to herself. Even though mermaids were only supposed to sing to lure their prey into oblivion, this little mermaid sang for the sheer joy of it. While her sisters sang shameless siren songs in order to stir a frenzy into any hardened sailor, Ariel would sing about anything with her beautiful voice. She formed some words that came to mind…

_Somewhere beyond the sea_

_Somewhere waiting for me_

_My lover stands on golden sand_

_And watches the ships that go sailing_

That was another thing that she could not share with her sisters…she believed in loved. Mermaids often sang licentious lyrics in order to fill human males with lustful thoughts, but Ariel knew better than to get the two mixed up. She believed love was deeper, more of a secret. There must be a reason why humans wanted it so badly. Truthfully, she wanted it badly too…but no mermaid was supposed to fall in love.

_We'll meet, I know we'll meet_

_Beyond the shore_

_We'll kiss just as before_

_Happy we'll be, beyond the sea_

_And never again I'll go sailing_

Was it so wrong that she longed to leave her family for another life? She knew deep down that she would always be a disappointment to her queen and her sisters. Always the strange one with the sympathetic soul and no desire to kill. Always the quiet, weak, useless little thing. It bothered her family so much that she was so different and honestly, it bothered her too. Anger stirred within her at the one-sided arguments she had always endured from her queen, the taunts and teases from her sisters, and the complete lack of empathy from her own kind. She had to end her song because an unpleasantness was developing in her mouth.

"I am no mermaid," she muttered bitterly. "I might as well be human."

She was certain that it would be the most wonderful thing in the world to be human. No one judging her, calling her pitiful, or telling her it was unhealthy for her to have such thoughts. She would be free! Free to be herself and not have to worry about what anyone thought of her. Jerking her head to flip the soaked, crimson-colored hair off her face as she thought again about the argument with her queen. It left her feeling both angry and ashamed. No one understood her; none of her older sisters could ever comprehend her desire to leave the pod. They already always told her she spent more time on the surface than was healthy for a mermaid.

"I don't care," she said severely to herself.

And she really didn't; if anything she wanted more. She wanted to see something new, to see what life outside of the ocean was like. She wanted to _really _see humans. What was it like to have two legs and to walk and run and dance in someone's arms? She looked down at her own wet arms and then cast her eyes upon the rest of her fish-body. She was so far from being human: her shimmery, emerald fish tail extended far into the murky waters of the sea, the fins almost translucent as they spread. Her delicate lips concealed retractable fangs that were designed for tearing into flesh (not that she had ever done that) and her small hands could easily crush a man's skull with no effort. A far cry from any harmless-looking maidens she had seen walking along the beaches. She could not help but grimace at the thought of how deadly a mermaid's body was.

"Disappointed in the workmanship?" came a cackling voice.

Ariel jerked her head up to see an odd, human-looking creature seated on a small jetty of rocks, just extending out to the sea. The newcomer looked rather strange with greenish, scale-like skin that seemed to glitter like the sea with the receding sun on it. Even in his refined, expensive-looking garments he held himself rather comfortably on the rocks with one leg crossed over the other, hands resting on the knees.

Ariel hissed and quickly slid fully into the water, showing the stranger her fangs and slanted eyes. It did not seem to faze the newcomer; he simple gave an oily giggle. Ariel's suspicion rose as she got a closer look at the fellow. His eyes were bizarre, too large and reptilian-like for a human. The blackness of the irises reminded her of mermaids when the bloodlust took over and all reason was lost to the hunt. His face was nothing but angles with a large, protruding nose and jutting chin.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked with narrowed, suspicious eyes. He had just appeared out of nowhere; that was not normal, even for the Enchanted Forest.

The newcomer smiled wickedly and gave a slight incline of his head with a flutter of hands; Ariel saw the filthy teeth and talon-like nails more so than the attempt at a bow. "RrrrrrrRumplestiltskin is the name and making deals is the game," he shrilled.

Ariel frowned at this change in pace. "What makes you think I am interested in a deal?"

"Oh I don't know…could it be that you have been sitting her gazing at the humans every day for the past week? Perhaps a little misunderstanding with that queen of yours?" he seemed to be enjoying this one-sided conversation. "No wait…I've got it!" he held up a finger and tapped his temple as if contemplating something very complex, "You want more than anything in the world to leave this place?"

Ariel's glare became more severe. "I do not ask for your help imp!"

Rumplestiltskin lifted both eyebrows. So the little red-headed mermaid did have some spitfire in her? That was refreshing; it was so dull to have easily-convinced parties sometimes. "Nooooo, but perhaps you need it?" he retorted with a high-pitched giggle at the incredulous look on the mermaid's face.

"I mean why else would you be here pining away at the humans instead of out there with your…ahem..._flock_ doing what you're kind does best?" he cackled again as if he had just made a good joke.

Ariel squared her shoulders as she faced the creature, trying to put on a show of bravery. She'd fought treacherous sea monsters, hungry sharks, and even a hydra before, but always with the combined efforts of her mermaid sisters. Now she was all alone. She eased away from where the green demon sat. "Be gone!"

But Rumplestiltskin flashed a yellow smile at her. "Even before I tell you my deal?" He put on an exaggerated wounded expression. "Come now little mermaid… I think you really want to hear it."

The imp must have thought that she was desperate for _something_ if he was attempting this ploy. With a pang of annoyance, she realized he was right. Still, the human's (if it was a human) tricks would not work on her. Ariel was about to say so when the one called Rumplestiltskin spoke again.

"Oh yes." He said knowingly with a nod of the head. "I know what you want dearie. And I can give it to you…I can make you a human."

_That_ shocked her out of her suspicion. She could be human? With legs? She could leave this place? Her glittering, blue eyes widened as they bore into his dark, black ones.

"Can you do that?" she asked in amazement, her hard voice softening in her wonder.

"Indeed I can," answered the imp, "For a price."

Ariel blinked hard, realizing the meaning of that simple statement. She knew from experience that mermaids did nothing out of kindness, so it did not surprise her that humans (or whatever it was?) seemed to have the same policy. Still, she was not so desperate that she would willingly enter into a debt with this creature. Mermaids did not need help from anyone least of all sinister-looking greenish characters; Ariel trusted this imp about as far as she could throw him.

Her voice turned cold again as she forced the words out. "I am not interested in any deals that you have in mind _sir_. Now if you'll excuse me…"

With a sharp flick of her muscular fish-tail she dove without a splash, away from the surface world with its confusing creatures and wishful thinking. Ariel knew she would face a heavy scolding after she went crawling back to her queen, but it could not be helped. She had to get away before she changed her mind and begged the man of magic to give her legs.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin smirked as he watched the young mermaid dive beneath the surface and disappear into the cold depths of the grey waters. He had no doubt that she would return, it was only a matter of time really. He was always able to know a desperate soul when he saw one and this mermaid was no exception.

Rubbing his hands in delight, Rumplestiltskin contemplated his future, inevitable deal with the foolish young one. He knew exactly what he wanted and he also knew exactly what he would do with it. Something that he had wanted to do for a long time now. No matter… as he had told her before he had all the time in the world now.

* * *

For the next few weeks it was all Ariel could do to keep her conversation with the imp out of her head. That there was a way out of her wretched life as a defective mermaid had not even been considered before; she always assumed that she would eventually learn to be like her sisters sooner or later. It had seemed easier to just gripe and feel sorry for herself than actually leave her family. That was asking a lot for a mermaid, a social creature like many fish, to abandon everything she had ever known.

These thoughts led her to really _really_ try the next time a ship was brought down.

It was a large cargo vessel, carrying an arsenal of war materials including swords, pikes, rapiers, and soldiers. That it was a ship carrying the means of death for many people made Ariel more than determined. She had been so ready to be what was expected of her as a mermaid, but when the moment came she did the unimaginable.

She tried to save a man's life.

Her whole school had been waiting, bobbing together in the seemingly peaceful waters of the bay. The crescent moon reflected off of the dark waters casting an ambient light onto the ships white sails. A soft summer breeze drifted across surface of the water, barely touching the mermaids with coolness. But the beautiful, tranquil night was about to become very very ugly. Her queen started the evil song as she had always done:

_My heart is pierced by Cupid_

_I disdain all glittering gold_

_There is nothing can console me_

_But my jolly sailor bold…_

All of her sisters took up the melodious tune, even Ariel. Drunk with desire the sailors scrambled along the decks, pining for the source of the beautiful melody. Within moments the ship had altered its course drastically and was steering straight for the submerged shoals that lined the outskirts of the bay. Ariel felt the familiar dread in her stomach but pushed it away, determined to stay and be a proper mermaid. The sound of the groaning ship as it struck the rocks was enough to make her want to cry out loud but she could not; mermaids do not cry. Instead, she lurched forward with the rest of her sisters towards the vessel, right into the thick of battle.

The ship was swamped by a pod of bloodthirsty mermaids in seconds. The sailors awoke from their dazed state, brought on by the songs of the sirens, to a hellish nightmare. Pulling themselves over the sides of the vessel with unnatural strength, the mermaid's devilish-yellow eyes shone with a ravenous hunger while their demonic fangs found their targets. Completely overwhelmed with the exitement of the chase, the savage mermaids were picking off the sailors, one by one. The water churned with men thrashing in the waves, their screams filling the once peaceful night sky. Already the seas were stained with the blood of the poor souls who had ripped apart by the voracious mermaids. In the midst of the chaos, Ariel flayed around in the water, completely confused and upset.

Oh gods, what was she thinking? This was not her…this would never be her. She could never do this. This was pure _evil_.

Right in the thick of battle she decided to leave. The ocean was pitching violently from drowning men and mermaids on the hunt but a few strong flicks of her tail, and she was diving far below the surface and away from the carnage. It was much calmer in the deeper, darker waters and she headed for the underside of the partially submerged boat. Her sense of urgency caused her to submerge at a faster pace than was probably prudent and created an unpleasant sensation in her ears. As she paused to adjust to the pressure change a flash of white just above her caught her attention.

It was a sailor! He had somehow escaped the clutched of her sisters but now had fallen from the stern of the boat into the sea. His white shirt was flapping with the force of the waves and he started sinking rapidly.

Ariel did not think twice; she gave a sharp flap of her fins and propelled herself forward, even faster than before. Once more she felt the pull on her ears but she did not stop until she had grabbed the man's arms and was yanking him upward. They both broke into a hard-churned surface awash with the glowing blaze of the ship that had caught on fire. Ariel was at a loss as to what to do. The man she held onto did not seem to be struggling and for a split second she panicked thinking him to be dead. A closer look revealed that he was breathing, not dead just unconscious. A large gash on his forehead indicated from whence this condition had come from, he had been knocked out by a blunt object. Grabbing tightly to his shoulders, she started to drag him in the direction of the shore praying that her actions would go unnoticed by her sisters.

Her prayers were not answered.

"Well, look at this… our little sister has finally snagged her first victim," came a cold voice from behind the struggling mermaid.

She did not need to turn to know who it was…Marina, her queen. The powerful alpha mermaid held her steely gaze right onto the human in Ariel's arms. The glow of the fire highlighted the blonde in her hair, making it seem like a golden crown as it fell around her exquisitely beautiful face. But her demonic fangs and fiendish eyes were fixed right onto the sailor that Ariel had saved.

Turning slowly, Ariel felt the breath pulled out from her as she lowered her eyes in submission. Her leader was not known for her generosity towards wayward mermaids and she knew that she would be facing severe punishment for what she had been about to do. The thought of this unnerved poor Ariel.

"What are you waiting for sister? Devour him. He looks ever so tasty," Marina said haughtily.

Ariel felt her throat close up. She glanced at the face of the man in her arms. Gods he looked young, too young to die like this. Only hours ago she had been so ready for this, so ready to be just like her sisters. But now when the moment had finally come…she simply could not do it.

Holding her head up, trying to be brave Ariel simply said, "No."

Marina did not even blink an eye, if anything she looked as if she had been expecting this. Ariel was a little confused at this complete lack of a response. She did not expect this kind of a reaction: ranting and raving, yelling and screaming yes, but this?

Quick as a flash, Marina jolted forward and yanked the sailor out of Ariel's hands. Before she could even give a protest Marina had sunk her fangs into the man's neck. He flew out of unconsciousness and his screeches were enough to send shock waves throughout Ariel. His flaying arms and kicking legs did nothing to sway the iron grip the mermaid queen had on him. Her eyes remained cold and indifferent as the life's blood of her prey was pumped out into the black waters.

Queen Marina did not let up, even after the man made a sickening, gurgling sound as he choked on his own blood and ceased struggling. She kept her fangs in but her eyes on Ariel the whole time. The message was clear: this was meant as a punishment for her. Several minutes after the final death flailing of her victim the mermaid queen shoved the body aside, and licked her blood-stained fangs in a satisfying manner. Ariel could only stare in shock; never in all her years had she witnessed such actions of her queen. Surely _she_ should be punished not the innocent sailor, it never occurred to her that one stupid decision would warrant such a painful, agonizing death

Queen Marina flicked her long, blonde tresses out of her face and shifted her gaze away from Ariel towards the burning vessel. Former mast timbers were crackling and falling into the sea with a resounding hiss as the fires were extinguished. The ship was nearly fully submerged in the ocean, its weapons hardly suitable for anything now. No more screams pierced the night, all of the men were dead.

"One less human to worry about now. Spineless, stupid, fish-eaters incapable of any good or any reason. Humans are all the same, nourishment for the body and nothing else. Deserving of no mercy." Queen Marina said in her signature steely, cold voice. Her emotionless eyes bore onto Ariel's bowed head. "Why can you not understand this?"

She reached out and brushed a strand of Ariel's hair out of her eyes; a human would have taken the gesture as affectionate but Ariel knew better. She flinched at the touch and jerked her head away, keeping her eyes down.

Marina reached out again and cupped Ariel's chin to lift it slowly until the youngster was forced to look into her eyes. Her queen's voice remained calm, "You go too far this time little one. Your impudence has been growing and this will not be tolerated. Would you risk banishment from your sisters simply because you are flawed?"

Ariel felt her heart lurch at these words. Flawed? At one point in her hundreds of years of living she would have simply nodded her head automatically, agreeing to whatever her queen had said, but this was not that time. This was past her breaking point. She had had enough!

"Why can _you _not understand?" she snapped, "I do not want THIS!"

Ariel felt her chest thumping as she jolted her face away from the queen's cold hands. Never before had she acted this way; this was a deliberate act of defiance that would warrant heavy punishment…she did not care. She knew what she had to do.

With a flash of scales she spun and splashed away. Swimming as hard as she could she left the scene of carnage, of death and destruction, of empty hearts and cold eyes. If she had had any doubts about the imp's offer they were gone now. She was determined to leave this life behind.

* * *

Queen Marina watched the young one bound away in a flurry of splashes. The mermaid queen shook her head sadly, her eyes trailing after young Ariel's wake. "Then you have chosen your fate little mermaid. You are not one of us."

That red-head had been giving her trouble for years and years now. It had really only been a matter of time before the young one would succumb to such stupid actions as tonight's. The mermaid queen had no doubt that Ariel would return; she had swum off multiple times but had always returned to her family. Still the miserable little weakling that she was, but she always came back. The queen was unaware that from the moment Ariel jerked herself away she never intended to come back.

Flicking her large aqua, scale-sheathed tail she turned to survey her pod's work. The ship was fully beneath the tossing waves of the sea and the remainder of her subjects finishing the last of the humans. A most satisfying night.

* * *

**As some of you may have noticed, this chapter is a little different than what I originally posted. I made a mistake and uploaded the wrong draft version of my story which originally contained content I could not claim. This is the correct version that mistakenly got replaced by my first, uncorrected draft when my tale was originally published. **

**The song "Beyond the Sea" was made famous by the wonderful Frank Sinatra, a siren in his own time! Hopefully ole-blue-eyes would have loved the idea of a mermaid singing it as much as I do :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney. **

**Chapter 2**

"RUMPLESTILTSKIN!"

Her cries reeked of desperation and the imp grinned in eager anticipation, he would recognize that tone from anywhere. It dripped with despair and would easily fall to a deal…just the very thing! He was always able to tell a desperate soul when he saw one. And as far as he was concerned, no one had ever dared make a deal with a mermaid before. This was a first for the Enchanted Forest. From his perch on the cliffs overlooking the bay and the rocky shoals, Rumplestiltskin rubbed his long-nailed hands with eager anticipation.

"Rumplestiltskin! I want to talk to you!" Ariel yelled out again.

Where was that accursed imp? She was right where he had been last time! Ariel's frustration and impatience were at dangerously high levels. She had all of the symptoms of a young one pushed to the breaking point: trouble breathing, a burning fury at the unfairness of it all, stinging eyes that wanted to drip tears, and a sense of righteousness that had to be fulfilled. Ariel was not thinking of consequences or penalties…she wanted out of this life and she wanted it now!

After enjoying the scene of a thrashing, thoroughly upset mermaid for a few more second Rumplestiltskin decided to make his presence known. With a poof of purple smoke he appeared directly behind his next victim, standing on a large stone jutting out of the sea. Only her head and shoulders poked out of the black waters of the bay. Since it was some time before the wee hours of the dawn the waters held some chill to them, but it was clear that comfort was the last thing on this teenager's mind.

"Back again dearie? I was beginning to think you were just fine under the sea." Rumplestiltskin called out with pleasure.

Ariel twisted around and glared her most ominous expression at the annoying imp. She hated that the situation actually required her to ask for help from this man of magic, but the anger at her queen and her pod called for desperate measures.

"What is your deal?" she asked curtly, not in the mood for revelry.

"Well, well, you certainly do not beat around the bush," Rumplestiltskin grinned even wider. "Right-o, let's get down to business!"

Ariel did not know what beating a bush had anything to do with this (a bush was a type of vegetation right?) but she did not care. She was only interested in hearing the terms of the deal.

"I can turn you into a human for three months, when the moon turns three times." Rumplestiltskin gestured up to the new moon in the arms of the old. "You can wander the _entire_ human world at your pleasure. For _thhrrreee _months, no more, no less. Go on an adventure, see a castle, attend a ball…" he gave a high-pitched giggle, "Meet a special _someone_."

Ariel frowned listening very closely; he still had not said what he wanted from her.

"At the end of the last month, you turn back into a mermaid. I cannot do a complete transformation dearie," he paused and held up a filthy forefinger. "Magic can do much dearie but not that!"

Ariel did not like the idea of returning to her former self after the final moon turn. Where in the seas was she supposed to go after that? Back to her pod, her queen, with all of her unfairness?

"However…there is a way out of that. If within that time you discover…," here the imp paused and gave an overly dramatic sigh as he placed a hand over his chest, "_Ttttrrrruueee_ love, you will remain human permanently. Legs and all!"

"What do you mean by true love?" Ariel asked suspiciously, wanted to understand the full terms of the deal.

Rumplestiskin flashed his pointed, grimy choppers in a toothy grin, "Why…true love's kiss dearie! The most powerful magic of all." He spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

But that was one Ariel had not heard of. The most powerful magic of all? She doubted that was true. She had watched couples kissing all of the time on the shore line and had seen no magic of any kind during the exchanges. Love may be a remarkable emotion but powerful? Ariel was skeptical.

"So I have three moons as a human, I leave this place, but I must find love in the meantime?" Wording it like that made it sound all the more complicated.

"That's right dearie!" Rumplstilskin was pleased with the way things were turning out. He almost had her, now the only thing left to discuss was…

"What do you get out of this? What is your price?" her voice growled.

The imp giggled at the fish-girl's cleverness; this one did not forget to easily. An intelligent teenager-how refreshing!

"Well dearie, as I've said before to many others at many times," he leaned over closer to the water so as to emphasize his next point, "All magic… comes with a price."

His tone became more serious as he leveled his pointing finger at Ariel's face, "What I want from you is…your voice."

"My voice?"

She had never thought of giving up such a treasure. Mermaids after all were the sirens of legend, a few chords and the most hardened of sailors would be reduced to blubbering idiots. The voice of a mermaid was said to be able to call any soul towards it from any reach of the world. No other item in the world possessed such ability; powerful magic indeed, no wonder the imp wanted it. This deal was sounding more and more suspicious to Ariel. For one thing she only had three moons, for another she would not have a voice!

"How am I supposed to communicate?" Ariel snapped.

Rumplestiltskin shrugged feigning ignorance. "Beats me. Your looks, your pretty face…" he pretended to flick his long, curly hair "Body language! You'll have many choices"

Ariel wrinkled her nose in her frustration. "And at the end of the last month if I turn back, what then?"

"That's your problem dearie, not mine." For the first time Rumplestiltskin's voice grew more serious as he no longer bothered to sound flippant. His large, reptilian eyes bore into hers and he felt his impatience boiling up while trying to keep it in check.

Ariel racked her hands through her hair, feeling the cold water seep into her scalp. Her eyes took on a glazed look as she thought about the deal of Rumplestiltskin. A life on land or the life she had always known? The seconds that ticked by seemed to last an eternity-whatever her decision, everything was about to become very different for the little mermaid. However, her grasp at that realization was limited; her mind was still reeling from the awful treatment by her queen and sisters. More concerned with escaping her oppressive life as a mermaid, the teenager did not dwell on the consequence of her failure. If there was a way out of her miserable existence and if the risk was great…so be it!

"_Deal,_" she barked eager to get this over with.

The crazy-looking imp let out yet another giggle, unfolded his hand and a simple mollusk shell appeared. Leaning over, too close for comfort, he brought the mollusk eye-level with Ariel.

"Sing dearie," he said simply.

Ariel took a deep breath to steady herself. This was it, her chance to escape.

She was going to start singing the Cupid song she and her sisters were particularly good at but then thought better of it. It would not do to have the dealer of magic fall into an infatuation with her right as he was about to turn her into a human. After thinking briefly about it, Ariel eased her voice into a simple series of chords. The sound the emanated from her throat was the most beautiful song of a siren; a magic unlike any other for none could resist the pull, a call that would summon any being and bring them towards her just to be closer to the pleasing sound. A truly powerful enchantment.

A purple cloud began to rise from the mollusk shell in Rumplestiltskin's hands and floated towards Ariel. She stiffened but forced herself to remain calm as the magic completely encircled her neck and face. There was a curious sensation, like a warmth leaving her, and a small glowing ball was extracted from her throat and hovered in front of her face. From this orb the mermaid's voice continued to emanate as if taking on a life of its own. Ariel felt suddenly cold and empty; as if she had been drained of a strength she had possessed her entire life. Her skin crawled with goose bumps as she gripped her throat in fear. Oh gods, what had she done?

Rumplestiltskin abruptly snapped his fingers and an orange glow began to form around the mermaid. The waters surrounding her started to churn and grow uncomfortably warm. She opened her mouth in a silent scream as she was enveloped into a sheath of boiling hot liquid, whirling and spinning around her body. Oh gods, he had not told her it would hurt this much! Waves of agony coursed through her, causing her body to jerk and convulse underwater. She felt her entire tail burn as if on fire and then lose mass as if melting. For a split second she panicked even more, but then she felt her lower half start to separate and reform into itself. Bones cracked painfully as new limbs were being set and scales ripped away from her skin with great force. A few more seconds of agonizing torture and it was suddenly over. Ariel felt the scorching water retreat from her body and was suddenly wrapped in the unbearably cold touch of the ocean. Thrashing her useless limbs underwater, Ariel realized she could not breathe and was sinking fast into the blackness.

Rumplestiltskin carefully placed the newly enchanted mollusk shell into his coat pocket. A siren's song in his possession! Now that was power. The imp finally glanced downward at Ariel to admire his work. A fine job at that! The young creature below him looked very much like any other maiden in the kingdom. But what in the world was she doing? Watching the teenager struggling underwater, it occurred to the imp that even though she had been a mermaid a few seconds ago, she did not know how to swim as a human. She might drown even before she had a change to get to shore.

Even though he was sure no one was watching, Rumplestiltskin kept his face impassive as he contemplated his role in this predicament. After all, he did have a reputation as "the Dark One" to uphold. But then he quickly changed his mind. In any case, he was not nearly the monster everyone made him out to be. Certainly was above watching a girl drown. Flicking his hand in a causal downward arch, he sent a force of magic down into the deep. A gasping, retching young woman suddenly broke the surface of the water. Lifting her chest and throwing her head back hard, Ariel inhaled a much-needed lungful of air. But then she started to sink back into the sea.

Rumplestiltskin allowed himself to show a little compassion. It was not as if the teenager could tell anyone about what he was going to do. "Now I can't help you much dearie, but at the very least I can do this."

Rumplestiltskin turned and with one hard sweeping motion of his arm, pushed Ariel with a force of magic that propelled the former mermaid towards the sandy beach lining the bay. Had Ariel a voice she would have screamed with the surprise of the trip. But when she opened her mouth a whole gallon of sea water flooded in, going to the back of her throat with a force. Her unsheltered body was knocked straight into a sand bar and she skidded to a halt just a meter from the water line. The impact was enough to daze Ariel and she remained where she had fallen, the last of the early morning tide lapping on her now bruised and battered body.

Rumplestiltskin frowned but was relieved to see from his vantage point her thin chest rising and falling with breath. That was a little rougher than he had intended-perhaps he had misjudged the distance? Oh well! She was alive and he got what he had come for. Holding the mollusk up to eye level he allowed himself a small, self-satisfied chortle; an authentic mermaid's voice in the palm of his hand. Now nothing could stop him on his revenge mission.

* * *

Dawn the next day…

Ariel felt her heavy eyelids slowly lift up and the first thing she noticed was the scent of the ocean and the sound of the tide. From her position on the shore, lying half-in and half-out of the water she was exposed directly to the fresh morning breeze bringing with it the smells of salt, tar, and sand.

Allowing herself a small, pitiful groan she eased herself upward with weak arms. Where was she? Lying on a beach somewhere. How did she get here? She had been in the water but unable to breath. Ariel frowned, why hadn't she been able to…

It all came back to her in a flash: the burning boat, the sailor in her arms, the imp…Rumplestiltskin! Somehow she knew that he was the one to thank for this pounding headache and awful feeling in her stomach. Like she had swallowed a whole grove of jellyfish. She didn't think in her entire life she had ever felt this sick. Her throat seemed to tear itself up with every small breath she took. Covering her lips with a trembling hand, she forced the bile developing in her mouth back down and curled her body to sit up more. That is when she saw them for the first time.

Legs!

Her beautiful tail was gone and replaced by two pale-looking limbs that stretched out underneath her. Ariel gasped and gently moved her muscles. The appendage on the left responded by lifting up to her eye level. She was further amazed when the toes wriggled in reaction to her effort. This was amazing! She traced her fingers over the white skin, exploring every centimeter with her touch-it was so smooth and so very unlike the scales of her tail. The feet were much bonier than she would have thought and she seemed to have less muscle now but they were legs alright!

After admiring her new limbs for some time Ariel made her first attempt at standing. Easing her arms forward she braced her palms against the soft sand and shifted her weight from her body to her new feet. From this crouching position she steadied her legs as best she could, and allowed her upper body to rise up. Gods it was high up here! Holding her arms outward seemed to improve the balancing act further. But only for a moment…suddenly her knees buckled and when she did not respond fast enough she pitched sideways into the surf. From the more familiar position of the ground Ariel grinned at her triumph. She had actually stood up! Granted...it was only for a second but she had done it!

After several more attempts at standing she finally reasoned that perhaps something to grab on would help her stand better. There were several tall pillars of rocks lining the shore and she inched her way towards the nearest cluster, slowly dragging her body forward first and then her legs. The first pillar she reached was tall and covered in barnacles and seaweed. Gripping the hot rock she was able to pull herself up a lot faster than before and she stood with only a small wobble. Her grin widened at her triumph and she felt like laughing for the first time in a very long time. Now came the harder part-walking. Still grabbing onto the rock, Ariel moved her right foot forward cautiously. But when she tried to do the same with the left she lost her balance and fell hard onto the sand. She grimaced; that one hurt a lot. Sighing, she grabbed the rock to hoist herself up and start over. This was _a lot _harder than it looked and _exhausting_.

For the next few hours, the former mermaid practiced walking and falling. A lot of falling! She did not notice the purple and red masses' forming on her knees, bruising was a new experience for her. She did not even notice that her hands were becoming scrapped and scratched from gripping the rocks and falling in the sand. She did however notice when her throat began to feel uncomfortably dry, her thirst becoming stronger. Glancing at the sea she dismissed the idea, humans could not drink sea water like mermaids could. And now she was human.

Ariel frowned and sat down with her new legs folded underneath her to rest and think. The gentle calm of the tide washed over her feet and she wiggled her toes enjoying the new feeling. She had not thought about leaving the shoreline. This was as far as she had ever seen of the human world; anything beyond the Enchanted Forest that bordered the coast had been inaccessible to her eyes. Her gaze shifted over her shoulder from the sea, her former home, towards the green of the forest. She could not stay here sitting on a beach forever, she had to leave and explore the world. The thought excited her and unnerved her at the same time. It was all happening so fast, this new life away from the sea.

But this was what she had wanted. Her face flushing with determination, she rose once again unsteadily to her feet. Holding her head up and flicking her long hair back she boldly took her first steps towards the Enchanted Forest. One and a half shaky steps later and she found herself in the shade of the tall trees bordering the sand-lined coast. Ariel was surprised at a sudden change in her new human body due to the lack of sun; her whole form began to shiver and she clutched her upper half with her arms in an effort to warm up. Her long hair curtained over her shoulders and reached down her bare back but this did little to discourage the cold. She was after all…completely naked.

_Clothes, I need clothes_, she thought to herself.

Mermaids did not wear them but humans did. Feeling her vulnerability to the elements helped Ariel to understand why. Her bare limbs started to shiver even harder as her sharp eyes scanned the shorelines hopefully. She did not know what to expect to find, anything really to help cover herself when she went into the shade of the trees.

Ariel recalled seeing a pile of debris along this shoreline at one point in her many trips to the surface-might she find something useful there? She started forward back towards the water line when she realized that she was walking without really thinking about it. Looking down at her bony feet in amazement she chuckled silently at the sudden revelation. It really was a lot easier when you did not think about it.

Rounding the cluster of rocks she had used as a steadying post she found what she was looking for. A load of planks, ropes, various tack, and other items that had previously visited the sea as flotsam now rested on the shores, clustered along a maze of more rocks. Clumsily lowering herself down (falling harder than intended) she used her hands to start digging through the pile.

There. A piece of canvas, formerly belonging to a sail, lay at the bottom of the pile. Ariel pulled and pulled until she unraveled her prize from underneath all the other refuse. The article was stiff with salt and smelled very much like old fish guts but it would do for now. Pulling the cloth over her head did no good, it simply slid right off. She tried hanging it from her shoulders but that did little to cover her lower half. After some thought she wrapped the formerly white cloth around her torso; that seems to work best but she needed some way to secure it. Her eyes fell on a thin line of rope dangling from a splinted plank. After experimenting for some time she finally managed to wrap the rope around her body and tie it off so that the canvas stayed firmly in place.

Easing up slowly Ariel looked down at her covered self, admiring her work. Now she really was a human! Clothes and all! Feeling playful she arched her back and lifted her hair with her hands as if to allow admirers to see her. Quite a picture the little mermaid was now-bedraggled hair, clothed in nothing but a stained and lumpy canvas with bare feet, cut hands, and bruised knees. But to Ariel she felt as her appearance would turn heads in awe.

Not that there were any. Ariel scanned the empty beach and admitted that this solitude was starting to unnerve her. All her life she had sought out solitude as a way to escape the teasings of her sisters. Now that isolation came at no effort on her part it was less desirable. Time to head out and find other humans. Ariel swayed precariously as she adjusted her feet to start stomping towards the Enchanted Forest again.

"Watch your step now dearie!" called out an all-too familiar voice. "Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

Ariel whipped around, saw the imp standing just at the shoreline, and thought savagely _How long had _he_ been there?_

The idea of a witness to her struggles to stand and walk unnerved her and she flashed Rumplestiltskin the harshest glare she could manage.

"You look sensational by the way," he offered generously, closing the distance between the two of them with confident strides. The mermaid verged on jealousy at the smooth steps her dealer took. Why should he be here? To see his precious deal done?

"Well dearie, you are all dressed and ready for a ball!" the scalawag lifted his hand and gave an elaborate bow, dipping low to the sandy ground. Ariel's frown deepened. Was this a way to mock her?

"Now don't go giving me that look. I am merely here to see you off," Rumplestiltskin grinned but to Ariel it seemed more like a sneer.

"Mind you remember-you have three moons to find true love. Afterwards it's back to fins and scales."

She lifted her chin in a gesture of defiance and met his gaze. The deal had been temporarily forgotten as she had been struggling to stand on the beach but now the presence of her dealer brought the memory on full force; she had to find a human to love her and then she could stay as she was.

"Well dearie. I'll say my good-byes now. Enjoy yourself!" Rumplestiltskin disappeared in a haze of purple smoke leaving Ariel once again alone on a beach somewhere on the edge of the Enchanted Forest.

She shook her head and started once more towards the tree line. Again, it seemed oddly unsettling that she should undertake this journey alone. She had always had her sisters, her family with her. The human world seemed so much bigger and scarier now that she was actually doing this all by herself. But there was no turning back now. Lifting her feet carefully and holding her arms out for balance, Ariel made her way towards a small semblance of a path that rounded from the sandy shores to the soil of the forest floor.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin watched as the young woman wound her way slowly and shakily into the forest. A brave soul that one was-to leave everything she knew and journey into the unknown.

A small smirk etched its way onto the greenish face of the deal maker. Bravery indeed! Being brave was overrated. Why this young mermaid had as much chance in this new world as…Baelfire. Thinking of his lost son brought a bitterness and sorrow onto Rumplestiltskin. How did his son face his own new world? Somehow Rumplestiltskin knew that it would be similar to the mermaid now…bold, going forward, and not shirking from the unknown. Unlike himself.

Grimacing, Rumplestiltskin forced his thoughts away from the past by thrusting his hand into his coat pocket to feel once again the warmth of the mollusk holding the mermaid's voice. He now possessed a very rare form of magic few could boast of. And it was just the thing that he needed to call to him the soul he sought.


	3. Chapter 3

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney. **

**Chapter 3**

Ariel came upon the first signs of human presence the next day.

She had spent the night curled up next to a large tree where the overlying branches provided some shelter from the chilly night winds. Breakfast had been simple-a couple of mouthfuls of field greens and some dew she had managed to lick off a few tree leaves. Needless to say, she was rather tired and forest was a lot more elaborate and larger than she had anticipated. Walking had been difficult on the beach but was even harder in the woods; the falls were more frequent and more painful. Her bare feet kept giving her stabs of pain when she trod upon seemingly innocent looking branches, twigs, and leaves. Almost as if she was walking on blades.

_Do all humans feel this when they walk? _she thought.

Despite the pain, Ariel's determination and stubbornness was stronger. Rounding a cluster of small saplings she stood in a clearing rather suddenly with a much larger path opening up in front of her. This one was different than the one she had been on previously-it seemed to be paved, was much wider, and had two tracks in it that seemed to stretch on as long as the path went. Unknown to the mermaid this was the road that traversed the kingdom's of King Leopold and King Christopher. Not certain of what else to do she simply decided to walk along this new path and discover where it led.

Walking on the road was a lot easier than in the forest. Her spirit lifted and she began to really take in the view of trees, bushes, flowers, and leafage. It was all so beautiful and new to her. Birds chirped in the overhanging tree limbs and squirrels ran in elaborate games of chase. The sun shone in a magnificent golden light through the swaying branches of the tallest trees. So pretty! The graveled road also did wonders on her aching feet.

A thought crossed her mind, _No wonder humans created this thing; it's much easier to walk on!_

Ariel's appreciation was interrupted by an unusual sound approaching. Tilting her head to listen, her ears caught the distinctive sound of horse hooves thundering towards her location. It grew louder and louder but the former mermaid ignored it for now. She was nearing a sharp bend in the road that wrapped around a group of large boulders and she could plainly hear human voices behind it. Her first interactions with humans! Her feet stepped a little faster and rounding the rocks she saw she was not mistaken. Small groups of humans were also walking the path in the same direction as her. She saw older men, women, children…all dressed rather simply and carrying various items such as baskets of vegetables and sacks of grain. A few conversations drifted towards her and a few children scampered about in play. Since most parties had their backs turned no one paid much attention to her for now.

Perhaps now would be a good time to make herself known? Just as Ariel was thinking about how to approach the humans the rumbling and trembling behind her could no longer be ignored. Confused, she turned slowly and what she saw coming up the path towards her made her heart start to pound. Black animals clobbered towards her with black armor-clad riders wearing strange plumed helmets. A group of about seven riders and animals. Further behind this first group some sort of vessel was being pulled by more of the monstrous-looking beasts.

Ariel felt a rising sense of suspicion, _What the…?_

Not knowing of the danger she simply stood in the middle of the path and watched puzzled as the animals and the riders drew nearer. Unexpectedly, they came right up to her.

The lead rider reined up his horse when the party reached Ariel. "Clear the road, make way for your queen!" he called from beneath the black feathered helmet.

Ariel was very startled when the beast underneath the human who had spoken reared up with a horrible, shrilly noise not two feet in front of her. It flashed huge white teeth and brought its lethal-looking legs very close to Ariel's unprotected head. She stepped backwards and promptly fell on her backside and elbows. The loose pebbles of the road dug into her elbows painfully and she bit back a silent cry.

Her falling only further infuriated the rider in the lead. "Clear the road you impudent peasant!"

Ariel was too stunned to do much except try to crawl away on her back using her elbows. From her vantage point on the ground, the four-legged black beasts looked huge and alarmingly lethal. The rider who had yelled at her now dismounted his creature and charged straight at the girl lying in the middle of the road. Not bothering to be gentle, the man grabbed Ariel by her arms and hauled her up. Being suddenly thrust on her feet startled the poor mermaid even further. She stood wobbly in front of the massive guard, a visor hid his face but that did not stop his voice from ringing out loudly.

"Bow your head before your queen you stupid girl!"

_My queen? My queen is in the ocean…what is this human talking about?_ She dumbly shook her head to show that she did not understand.

"You dare refuse to respect your queen?"

The black-clad human strengthened his grip on Ariel's arms to a painful level and began to shake her. Feeling helpless, Ariel only managed a few muted squeaks of pain and fear. Through her dizziness she saw the man lift one of his armored hands in a gesture that suggested violence. He was about to strike her and she could not even defend her face; her arms were pinned to her sides. Closing her eyes, she braced herself for the blow before another voice called out.

"Harold! Enough of this. Just clear the road and let's be on our way. I have important matters to attend." The voice came from the vessel behind the other mounted guards.

It was enough to stop the blow from coming. The man called Harold smirked and gave Ariel a sharp shove that sent her hard onto the ground on the side of the road. Shock waves of hurt coursed through her already weakened body and had the mermaid had a voice she would have cried out loud. No one even noticed her distress. The man who had grabbed her simply turned back to his riding beast and mounted silently. With a quick nod to his followers, the party continued along its way with more rumbling and kicking up of dust. Ariel had never felt so degraded and humiliated before in her life. She had thought life as a human would be easier than being a mermaid, but her first encounter left her cringing on the ground like some pathetic weakling.

As Ariel nursed her throbbing right arm she lifted her head cautiously to see the source of the voice that had prevented her from being beaten. A woman dressed in a black dress of refined elegance sat in the center of the black, sleek carriage that rumpled past the mermaid. She was most beautiful but Ariel sensed a coldness in her gaze similar to her own queen. This woman looked as if she could command all of the seas with no mercy; her eyes were as emotionless as a shark and as dark as the deepest abyss.

Unexpectedly, the woman who was a queen turned her icy stare on the creature that had caused such trouble. Regina did not see much: a scraggly-looking, dirty peasant girl lying on the side of the road wearing rags. A pretty face with fiery red hair but hardly worth her guards getting into a spat.

_Just an ignorant peasant,_ she thought to herself. _Odd-looking though._

Ariel did not think to breath until the party had moved further away and she felt relatively assured they would not change their minds and come back to beat her. Her face twisted with embarrassment; she was a proud, strong mermaid but a few seconds ago she might have been killed on the spot. In the water she would have fought with her mermaid strength, but here she was just a helpless girl just waiting to be abused or killed. She felt her head drop and her thin shoulders hunch in shame.

"Hey, are you ok?"

A strange voice broke her train of self-pity and she glanced up. A teenage boy, almost a man, stood next to her with a concerned look on his face. He must have been part of the group she saw earlier, one of the humans heading in the same direction she was. Unlike the armored guard he had a bare head so she was able to look into his face. A light load was slung over his right shoulder and one arm was holding onto it.

"Here, let me help you," said the stranger.

He held out his unburdened hand towards her. She stared at it in surprise as he continued to hold it out to her. Her encounter with those devilish guards left her wary of the actions of strangers. Still, it was unnerving being on the ground in front of a human with only a sail cloth covering her. Finally, she took his hand tightly with both of hers, willing herself to stand without falling. As soon as she was steady enough she let go, brushed off her hands, and stepped back. She slowly started noticing more details about her helper. Clear grey eyes, a friendly smile, spikey jet black hair, and a calloused hand that suggested a hard worker. The boy's clothes, brown trousers, a loose flaxen shirt, and a dark, frayed vest were well worn. Without really thinking about it she returned his smile with a small, shy one of her own.

"That was really brave of you. I've never seen anyone stand up to the queen like that before," the young man said with a touch of admiration.

Ariel tilted her head, puzzled. _Brave? I had never been more terrified in my entire life_.

She was not brave at all; her sisters had always made that very clear. She was a coward for not spilling any blood and never killing any men.

"You're hurt," he exclaimed. His gaze had shifted from her face to her lower arms.

Glancing down, Ariel saw that both her elbows were scraped and bleeding readily onto her canvas wrap. Lifting her right arm up she examined the wound with concern. It was covered in dirt and was throbbing painfully. Whenever a mermaid was injured she simply waited for the sea water to clean the wound and heal her; so what did human do for this?

"You'll need a healer to take a look at that. There is a good apothecary in the village that does not charge much. Were you headed to the village?"

Ariel did not know what to think; at any rate, she certainly could not answer. She averted her eyes and settled on a gentle shrug of her shoulders.

"Oh, I see. Do you know if there is a healer at…wherever you're going?"

Again, all Ariel could do was shrug. She really had not anticipated getting injured on her journey so finding a healer was not something she had planned for.

The young man looked concerned as he shifted his own shoulder, hoisting his load of nets and tackle further up his back. His load, tanned face, and hardened hands hinted at a fisherman and Ariel found herself intrigued by the profession.

"Do you know where you are going?" he asked her, trying to keep his voice reassuring.

Ariel shook her head slowly, frowning heavily at the painful tingling in her arms. It was not in her to give falsehood to this nice boy who had helped her even though she hated to appear helpless.

The stranger frowned too and studied her intently with his piercing grey eyes. Ariel looked away, flustered.

After a few more uncomfortable seconds he seemed to come to a decision. "If you want you are welcome to come to my house. My mother knows some healing and she can fix you up."

Ariel glanced back at the boy, stunned. She first thought he was being insincere but studying his face and unyielding gaze confirmed the impossible: this human truly wanted to help her. Mermaids are proud and fierce and never ask for help, but just this one time she did need it. She had no way of knowing how to heal herself or even where the next village was. Ariel slowly nodded her head.

The boy's face lit up with an even wider smile than before showing his nice teeth. Her acceptance of his offer seemed to cause him great happiness, she did not know why.

"Well then, if you will follow me I will take you there. It's not a long journey"

For some reason he glanced at her bare feet as he said this. Ariel did too and noticed some blood between her toes that had not been there earlier. This human body was so darn delicate! One little walk in the forest and her feet were already giving her such pains. She longed for the physical strength of her former self.

The two of them rounded onto the road again and started walking side by side. They fell into place behind the other groups of humans also using the road. Ariel had a slow gait and she noticed that the boy adjusted his strides to match her speed. She found this comforting and smiled shyly again at him. He returned it was another one. Gods he had a great smile!

"Oh by the way, my name is Eric," he said brightly.

Ariel mouthed, "_My name is…"_

No sound had escaped her lips. Her face fell as she brought her hand to her throat remembering the conditions of her deal with the imp Rumplestilskin.

Eric stopped and looked worried at her sudden change.

"What's wrong? What is it?" he asked quickly.

Ariel tapped her throat gently and shook her head slowly, hoping that he got the message.

"You can't speak?"

Again, she shook her head. A familiar feeling of inadequacy was developing in her. Not only was she weakened with pain she could not even give this kind boy her name. For the second time since stumbling onto shore Ariel felt unworthy, broken, and judged. But the human boy did not seem put out at all.

"Eh don't worry about it," Eric said good-naturedly, "I can't whistle."

Ariel was confused by his answer. Whistle? She narrowed her eyes and made a high-pitched mewing noise in her throat to convey a question, hoping that this Eric would explain.

"Yeah, whistle…you know…"

Eric put his lips into a small circle shape and blew air out of his mouth in a fast movement. Ariel shook her head, puzzled further. She tried mimicking him to see what it was all about. As she blew the air out she was startled by a sharp noise that emanated from her very lips. She cupped her hands over her mouth in shock and amusement. Such a strange sensation! She tried it again and was pleased to hear the noise once more.

Eric chuckled at her antics, "See, you can do it and I can't."

Ariel smiled widely and blew another whistle, _This is fun!_

"Hey maybe that's your name! Whistle," Eric said with another chuckle.

Ariel immediately stopped and frowned. That was not her name! What was this human boy thinking? Was he trying to mock her like her sisters had always done?

"Ok, ok no!" Eric laughed again and Ariel knew then that he had not been trying to offend her, "Maybe I could guess it?"

Ariel nodded with a hopeful smile and tried to enunciate slowly so that Eric could read her lips.

"Air…airley? Airel?" Eric studied her face intently.

Ariel shook her head hard and stamped her bare foot in frustration. How could she get him to understand? Grabbing his free right hand she placed it on her throat, trying hard to say her name.

The boy Eric was startled by the sudden contact. This strange girl had put his hand close to her face not even flinching at the smell of fish and grime on them. Compliments of being a fisherman's son. Most girls his age tried to avoid being around that stench at all costs; it led to some very frustrating situations. He was at the age where girls interested him but his work often prevented any real connections from being made.

Realizing that she had intended the contact as a way to get him to understand, he tried to concentrate on her lips again.

"Ok…um…Air, I got that part…now…" he felt her hands holding his tighten in anticipation. "Ari…lel….is it Ariel?"

Hearing the right name made Ariel giddy with happiness. She nodded her head fervidly and grabbed Eric's hand with both of hers again.

"Ariel. Well, that's kind of pretty," Eric said with a warm smile at her excitement. He was really starting to like this strange girl. "Ok, Ariel it is then."

The two resumed their stroll, Eric speaking casually. Ariel listened intently, eager to make a real connection with a human while she was on land. She knew that if a stranger stumbled upon them, they made a strange sight; a ragged, red-haired teenager girl dressed in nothing but a filthy sail cloth and a young man in peasant clothes. But as long as that was the extent of a strangers curiosity that was fine with her; if anyone found out that she was a mermaid, her life would be in grave danger.

...

The village of Venn loomed into view at the end of the dusty path snaking through the forest. Ariel had been so absorbed in listening to Eric talking she did not notice until the buildings started strutting up beside her that they had arrived. What wonders! The small, thatched structures formed a semi-circle around a large, cobble-stoned square that ran the length of the village. Ariel saw more and more humans gathered as they talked, laughed, or simply walked in the square. Further from the quad a small dirt path lead to more establishments with larger fronts for merchandises such as blacksmithing, bakery, livery, and so on. A few wagons rumbled along pulled by various beasts as their drivers carefully maneuvered through the throngs.

Ariel could only gape in wonder. So many new and wonderful things to see! She might have stood there simply staring if Eric hadn't touched her hand gently and nodded towards the right.

"This way Ariel. Not far now," he said.

She nodded in reply and adjusted her wobbly legs for a turn. Her walking had been getting better and better but the sharp turn that required her to follow Eric was a little tricky. She tried altering her feet but somehow her legs got crossed and she lost her balance yet again. Bracing for another fall she was surprised when she felt strong arms scoop to steady her by her front.

"Whoa! Hold on. I've got you," Eric's voice said assuredly.

Ariel was too astonished to react at all. This was the first time someone had ever prevented her from falling before. No one, not even that Rumpestilskin, had tried to help her on her new legs. She hung onto Eric's arms for a minute and gazed up at him with surprised blue eyes.

Eric seemed just as surprised as she was but for a different reason. He had a tight hold on this strange girl whom he had just met, and she was not moving out of his grip. This was the closest physically he had come with a girl in a long time and the intimacy of his arms around her did not leave his notice. He immediately felt the need to apologize.

"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" He withdrew his hands from the dangerously-close position of her breasts and stepped back glancing around.

Several onlookers had stopped their daily grind to gawk at the two of them. It was not a typical sight-a teenage girl with long red hair dressed in nothing but a dirty sail cloth and a young man grabbing her. Granted, it was because she had stumbled but not all of their audience had a way of knowing that.

Glancing around, Eric saw the murmurs and whispers being exchanged over their little show. He awkwardly ran his fingers through his choppy, black hair and retrieved the net bundle from where it had fallen on the ground.

"Ahem…well… this way"

Ariel saw the same faces he did and understood the need to get away. The eyes of the villagers were following them with the same expressions as her sisters after she had acted particularly stupid. Many of the onlookers were giving her a strange look, as if she were some foreign creature strutting out of the Enchanted Forest.

Ariel sighed as she strode alongside Eric. _H__umans also call out on something that is different. Not so different from merfolk._

"Here we are"

Eric's cheerful exclamation brought Ariel back to reality. They had traversed the square and were now at the outer skirts of the village where the houses stood further apart. The hovel Eric stopped in front of was small like the rest but had the distinct aura of a home with some red flowers in the windowsill and light blue curtains hanging over glass-less panes. Eric pushed open the door and moved his head to encourage Ariel to follow. Her bare feet tread lightly over the threshold as she stepped in, blinking to adjust her eyes to the darkness.

The house was cozy and warm on the inside. A small hearth with the remnants of a fire was at the very back behind a common room with a worn, oak table, some threadbare cushioned chairs, and wooden stools. The dirt floor was littered with straw but Ariel found the tickling sensation pleasant under her toes. Golden light poured in through the panes making the dust visible as it floated around. Along the wall hung various fisherman paraphernalia such as lines, tackles, hooks, and nets. A small spinning wheel was shoved into one corner with a half-full spool resting on the barb. There seemed to be another room in the back but the contents were not visible.

As Ariel was taking it all in Eric had stopped and shrugged of his load to hang it on a low-lying rafter. He turned, dusting his hands on his pants, and glanced at Ariel. She was looking around as if it was the most wonderful place in the entire world, Eric felt flattered and amused at the same time. It was after all only a small house but this girl seemed genuinely amazed.

He consciously brushed his black hair with his hands hoping no dust had settled on him. "Well, it's not much but its home."

Ariel smiled and turned towards him.

"My mother should be here soon. She can fix your arms easily."

Ariel nodded and resumed her glancing around. Finishing taking in all of the details, she was suddenly aware of how uncomfortable it was to have Eric looking at her with such concern. Why should it bother him so much that she was hurt? It was not as if she was close to dying. She settled her blue eyes on him, tilting her head a little as she contemplated his worry.

Eric shuffled his boots uncomfortably and tried to think of something to say that would fill the void of silence. He had certainly never invited a girl into his house so quickly before. He could tell that she felt uncomfortable, so he tried a different subject.

"I don't know if you've eaten but if you're interested I could…"

There was the sound of a latch lifting and a back door opened revealing two adults standing outside. Eric turned and smiled in relief.

"Mother, father…you're back. There's someone I want you to meet"

As he strode over to the back of the house Ariel suddenly felt very inadequate and unprepared. She nervously tried to smooth her tangle mess of hair and dusted her sail wrap in an attempt to remove the old crusted salt. Meeting a pair of humans so soon was unnerving.

Eric led a man and woman up to Ariel. Even if he had not addressed the woman as "Mother" Ariel could see the resemblance. They both shared the same jet-black hair and friendly grey eyes. The man possessed Eric's nicely shaped mouth but unlike his son's it was turned into a frown. Both parties were dressed similar to Eric in simple village garb with boots, vests, and belts but the woman had a white kerchief pulling her hair back in a simple tie. She smiled at her guest.

"This is Ariel. We met on the road through the forest," Eric explained.

Ariel was not sure what the proper greeting gesture was between humans. When mermaids meet for the first time they simply touched flukes gently to show that no harm was meant-so what should she do here? Ariel settled on lifting her hand and giving a small nervous smile, praying it was enough.

It seemed to do. "Well hello Ariel," the woman's voice was light and friendly and Ariel allowed her guard down a little, "My name is Jenny and this is my husband John".

The man nodded towards Ariel and she mimicked the gesture making sure to keep her eyes polite. If there was one thing she learned from the constant criticisms of her queen and sisters it was that elders hated any form of disrespect.

"Ariel got hurt when the queen's carriage almost ran her over" Eric explained further. Ariel rubbed her lower arms self-consciously, aware of the odd stare her appearance was getting from the man John. She flinched involuntarily when her fingers brushed against her torn elbows.

"Oh dear, that looks nasty" The woman called Jenny approached Ariel.

She reached out and gently took Ariel's right hand in hers. It took all manner of self-control for the teenager not to bolt at the touch. As a mermaid, she was subject to the constant touch of the ocean but feeling skin on skin was entirely different. Only on very rare occasions would her sisters bother to embrace her and it was usually a very brief interlude. Ariel allowed the woman to gently turn her arm and peer at the torn skin of her elbow.

After an uncomfortable moment, Jenny looked up at Ariel. "I have some herbs and ointment that will take care of this."

"Will you please look at her Mother? She needs some bandages," Eric said standing right next to Ariel.

She gazed up at him. Again, his grey eyes were clouded with concern and again she was puzzled by this. Mermaids, while they lived in groups, rarely sought comfort and aid in each other. Life in the sea was harsh and cruel with no room for coddling the weak. Having another express such concern for her well-being was a new experience.

"Certainly I will," Jenny gave Ariel's hand a small squeeze which she found oddly reassuring, "If you will follow me child…"

"And in the meantime… you and I need to work on that lobster trap young man," John had finally spoken and his voice was stern but not cruel. His commanding eyes were firmly gazing at Eric with an authoritative tone. It reminded Ariel of a lead porpoise trying to rein control over an unruly young one in his pod.

"Yes Father," Eric smiled again at Ariel and she had no trouble returning it this time. He and his father strode out the front door into the daylight leaving Ariel and Jenny alone. Ariel watched him leave feeling an odd sense of loss for the first time.

"This way please. I keep them in the kitchen," Jenny said redirecting Ariel's attention.

The former mermaid nodded and followed her hostess into the next room that had not been visible earlier. So this was a "kitchen"? It seemed to be a place of food preparation with various cooking items and food stuff hanging from the walls. Another smaller table was in the center of the room with several wooden-backed chairs around it. Jenny led Ariel to one chair and gestured for her to sit. While the woman's back was turned Ariel carefully maneuvered herself down using the table as an anchor.

"Here we are. Would you please put your arm out?"

Ariel held up her right arm where the tear in her skin was greatest. Jenny scooted up another chair to sit closer and brought a small rag up to the wound. Carefully, she began cleaning using the rag and a small basin of herb-infused water now resting on her lap. Ariel watched, fascinated.

"My, my…this is deep. Must have been quite a fall."

Ariel nodded keeping her eyes on her elbow as the blood was being cleared away. The painful throbbing had returned but she chose to ignore it, not wanting to appear fragile. Jenny ceased her cleaning and started to apply some ointment to the wound. Ariel could feel on her skin that Jenny's hands were as rough as her son's but she worked gently and smoothly.

"So Ariel, where are you from? Were you headed to King Christopher's kingdom?"

Ariel jerked her eyes up with the realization that yet again she would have to relay somehow that she could not speak. And again she felt the uncalled shame seeping up. She wrapped her hand around her throat and shook her head.

Jenny frowned. "Does your throat hurt Ariel?" The woman reached out to touch Ariel's cheek with her fingertips searching for signs of a fever.

Ariel shook her head and solemnly tapped her throat. She tried leaning forward to emphasis what she was trying to gesture.

"Oh I see…" Jenny looked troubled and Ariel did not like the expression on her face at all. It was one of pity, like she was an invalid or something. It somehow made her feel worse.

To her credit, Jenny tried to appear impassive. She ducked her head and resumed her focus on Ariel's arm. After finishing the application she wrapped the elbow in long strips of clean cloths. Carefully securing the ends together, she gently let go.

"You're other arm please?"

Ariel lowered her newly bandaged right arm and raised her left. She was amazed at the comfortable feeling of the bindings on her arm, an almost instantaneous relief. The sea water would have done all the cleaning and healing for her but Jenny's remedy seemed to work just as well.

"There," said Jenny tying the last knot, "All set".

Ariel fingered her new bandages and glanced up at Jenny. How could she show her appreciation if she could not speak? She wanted so desperately so say "thank you".

But Jenny was already moving again. After setting her cleansing basin on the table she scooted off the chair and knelt down to examine Ariel's bare feet.

"You're all cut up Ariel! What did you do…walk through the forest without any shoes?"

Ariel nodded enthusiastically not at all thinking of her answer. She could tell it was a strange one; Jenny gave a puzzling expression.

"Well, I'll bring you some washing water so you can take care of these. You'll stay for supper of course."

Ariel wrinkled her brow…this was not something she had anticipated. She pointed at herself and raised an eyebrow. Then she pointed at the ground, as if to question, _here_?

Jenny seemed to understand well enough. "Yes, of course. It's already getting late and you certainly cannot go trouncing about at this hour without any food in you." She rose from the floor, picked up the basin from the table, and turned to exit into the next room.

Ariel rose too and opened her mouth to call out in protest but of course no sound escaped her lips. Running her hands through her long hair in frustration she cursed the imp Rumplestilskin for the umpteenth time. Having no voice was frustrating! Realizing she had no other option for tonight she resettled herself into the wooden chair. Truthfully, it had been a couple of days since she had eaten anything as a mermaid or as a human and she had no other source of food at the moment. Perhaps the invitation was a good idea.

Still, she wished she could have asked on her own terms.

...

"So you just found her along the road, wearing nothing but rags, and she has not spoken single word?"

In the back of the house John and Eric both leaned over a lobster trap, nailing down loose ends and resetting knots. Eric raised his eyes to meet his father's disapproving glance.

"Yes. She seemed lost." Eric studied his father's face as if to gauge his reaction.

John shook his head and continued to concentrate at the task at hand. "I don't know son…it seems too odd. She does not look as if she has ever traveled before and has no idea how to take care of herself."

"Maybe we could show her? Help her out a little?" Eric voiced his hope out loud. He found himself drawn to this strange girl. She was so unlike anyone he had ever met and he wanted to get to know her more. Hopefully, an excuse of hospitality was just what she needed.

John finally looked up from his hammer and nail. "Eric…don't get your hopes up. We don't know anything about her so let's not get too attached shall we?"

Eric frowned and looked down again at his work.

"For all we know…she could be lying about not being able to speak" John gave the house a sideways glance.

Eric didn't believe a word of it. Despite her strange, withheld nature Eric was certain Ariel was no liar. He knew that she had a lot to tell about where she had come from and he was eager to learn more. But as much as he wanted to know her story, it was against his nature to make someone to tell something she didn't want to. His mother had always told him to respect other's right to keep their secrets. In her own time he hoped she would tell him her secrets, if she wanted to.


	4. Chapter 4

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney.**

**Chapter 4**

After dinner Ariel was invited to spend the night. It had not been something she was planning; if anything the suggestion was a surprise for all.

It had happened after the bowls of chowder and slabs of cheese had been set out and everyone at the table was eating. The dish of steaming stew had smelled so good Ariel had wanted to just dunk her hands in and start eating. Trying hard to reel her mermaid instincts in, she carefully watched Eric out of the corner of her eyes to see how humans eat. She tried not to be so obvious but he caught her watching and smiled straight at her.

"You'll like it, I promise," he said gesturing to the bowl in front of her, "I caught the mackerels myself."

Hesitatingly, Ariel carefully picked up the carved wooden utensil set next to the bowl and tried to mimic Eric's movements of scooping and placing the food in the mouth. It was delicious! Much nicer than any human flesh she had ever eaten. She quickened her pace and was soon slurping as much of the chowder into her mouth as the small wooden spoon could hold.

Eric's smiled widened "Told you you'd like it. Here, try some of this."

He cut a slab of hard cheese from the large wheel in the middle of the table and held out a generous portion to Ariel. She took it but could not stop herself from smelling the item to gauge the flavor. Smoky, almost like wood, bitter…what was the last smell…? Nuts? From a tree?

"It's smoked cheese from the dairy" Eric explained, biting into a slice of his own. "I traded it this morning. Really good."

Since he had just bitten into it, Ariel assumed it was alright for her to do the same. Her fangless incisors pierced the creamy flesh and she was surprised at the burst of flavor in her mouth. This was even better than the chowder! Her eyes almost crossed with ecstasy as she relished the sensation of the firm cheese flavor gliding across her tongue.

Next to her Eric chuckled "Good huh?" Her mouth was full of the cheese and she nodded vigorously with bright, happy eyes.

Those eyes made Eric feel like laughing with happiness himself. Ariel's face was always so full of expressions and wonder. It was as if she had never had tasted cheese before in her life; that was of course impossible but Eric liked to watch her. As she continued to chew and take in the scrumptious flavors Eric could not help but wonder at this extraordinary girl. He had known her for all of one afternoon but she seemed different than other girls. Not just the voice, but something else…she was so full of marvel, curiosity, and excitement. She could not talk but the atmosphere around her was full of her expressions and thoughts. It was clear that she was lost and alone in the world but somehow that did not worry her one bit. And the way she was so pretty...an amazing girl.

Ariel continued to relish the cheese and chowder, oblivious to the impression she was giving to Eric sitting next to her. His parents were also amused at her enthusiasm for the simple meal but they tried to steer the table towards small talk in order to distract. Subjects included the morning catch, the new taxes installed by the queen, the upcoming market time ...all very unfamiliar topics for Ariel. Eventually, a few inquiries were directed at her. Conversation with Ariel was limited for obvious reasons, but she did the best she could to truthfully answer some questions. About her destination she could only nod or shake her head; it left a lot of holes in her story but thankfully she had no way of answering them.

"So Ariel, do you know where you are headed?" the man John asked. Of the three humans, he seemed to be the most reserved. Ariel was sure that he did not believe her to be a simple girl traversing the roads between two kingdoms.

She shook her head to answer and casually scooped another mouthful of chowder into her mouth. Let the human male think what he wanted of her, it was of no concern to her.

"Would you like to stay here for the night?"

The question had come from Eric and it had been so sudden Ariel almost gagged on her food. Apparently, this body reacted to surprises similar to how mermaid's bodies did: with a sudden urge to inhale a lot of breath.

Eric was looking at her with eager anticipation and his parents were looking at him with astonishment. Ariel herself did not know how to respond; she could only stare back at Eric and blink her eyes in surprise.

John finally spoke, "Eric that is very considerate of you but you don't know if…"

"She needs a place to stay and rest. It will be dangerous out in the forest at night" Eric said quickly turning to his father across the table.

"Son...that is not the point. Perhaps she already had plans for the night?"

All three turned to look at Ariel. She answered the unintended question by lowering her eyes and giving a small shake of the head.

"See. Please will you stay? I am sure it will be safer for you" Eric asked earnestly.

"He does have a point Ariel. The woods are filled with all manner of creatures and bandits at night" Jenny spoke from across the table. "Perhaps it would be better if you stayed the night."

Ariel opened her mouth to explain that she had already spent the night in the woods and had seen these creatures and bandits first hand. She certainly had not been afraid then and would not be now. Of course, no sound came out. She shut it quickly trying not to appear too surprised at her lack of a voice.

"If you are interested…I have a dress that does not fit anymore that you are certainly welcome to as well" Jenny continued, placing a hand in John's and giving a light squeeze.

Ariel lifted her eyebrows at the offer. Her tattered sail cloth had been getting very itchy and uncomfortable as the day progressed. It also seemed to draw a lot of attention from human eyes, especially in the village. Could she dare hope for something more comfortable and appropriate?

"I think you should stay too" finished Jenny with an affirmative nod of her head.

Ariel chewed the last of her chowder slowly and considered her options. The offer was sounding more and more ideal: a place to sleep, some clothes, and shelter from the elements. Her new human body was more vulnerable to heat and cold that it had been when she was a mermaid so she would have to plan her excursions in this world with more care. Still, she did not want to appear too eager; that would imply weakness.

Glancing back at Eric next to her, she saw that he seemed very hopeful of her staying. But his eyes did not hold pity like his mother's had…it seemed friendlier, like he would really enjoy her company if she stayed for a little longer. The thought was confusing but nice in a way. She herself wanted to spend more time with this human boy. She didn't know why but she just did. He was fun, cheery, and very kind to her.

This idea made up her mind more than anything, she would like to stay. A thought came to her, _But I have to do one more thing…_

Ariel shifted her eyes to John sitting across the table and asked the question by pointing to herself, raising her brow, and gesturing to the house they were in. Even without her voice, she was trying to ask permission herself if she could spend the night.

John was as surprised as anyone else. His wife and son (although with good intentions) had already made it clear that this stranger was welcome. He was more cautious about inviting in this girl out of concern for the safety of his house and his family. It was not a cruel heart, but rather a guarded mind that had prevented him from readily accepting the idea. But looking at her sincere blue eyes and her disheveled state, his mind suddenly changed. The respect she was showing by asking her own permission also won over his stoic sense.

"Yes…you are welcome to stay here" he said with a firm nod of the head.

Eric's face lit up like a beacon. His father's answer gave him greater joy than he had thought possible. Ariel also beamed widely at the acceptance. She almost grabbed Eric's hand to express her joy, but then thought better of it.

"Well, that's settled then!" Jenny said brightly, rising from the table "Now who wants dessert?"

Ariel did not know what a "dessert" was until Jenny returned from the kitchen carrying a plate of small, square items of an odd brown color and consistency. Eric explained they were called "maple syrup cakes" and bit into one whole-heartedly. Ariel did too and almost gaged at the ultra-sweet flavor. Such curious things these humans ate and drank!

After dinner had been cleared and dishes stowed away Jenny showed Ariel the dress she had mentioned. It was a simple, peasant-style gown that had once been a dark shade of blue but much washing and wear had changed it to a lighter indigo. Jenny held it up to Ariel's body to gauge the fit.

"Yes, I think it will be very nice on you dear" she said with a nod and a smile.

Ariel fingered the soft cotton with relish thinking it would be far more comfortable than her sail cloth. She was very eager to try on her first real piece of human clothing. Undoing the larger knot of rope on her side, she started to slide out of her sail wrap.

"Ariel no!" Jenny suddenly raised her voice and snatched the falling cloth to bring it back up to Ariel's bare shoulders.

The former mermaid was startled and confused by the sudden change in her hostess. What had she done wrong? Jenny had _offered _the dress to her hadn't she?

Jenny leaned toward Ariel a bit as she spoke quietly, so that others wouldn't hear. "You do not undress in front of the men". With a nod of her head Jenny gestured towards Eric and John, who were behind Ariel seated in the chairs in front of the hearth.

Ariel felt her face flame as she lowered her head in embarrassment. Again, she was called out on a human custom that she had no idea existed. Learning to be human was harder than she had thought.

Jenny led Ariel into a small room jutting out from behind the kitchen. There was a large bed shoved against one corner with blankets and pillows, a wooden dresser but little else. In this room Jenny helped Ariel out of her tattered, blood-stained wrap and into the dress. Running her hands over the bottom portion Ariel could not help but think that her human body looked very different now. Her legs were no longer visible, her arms were half-way covered with more cloth, and her bare feet poked out from under the folds of the skirt. So much cloth felt oddly constricting and enveloping.

Jenny gently pulled Ariel's long hair out from underneath the back end of the dress and fastened the ties to bind it up. The outfit really did suit the girl; the clear, light blue of the dress matched her piercing, crystal-clear eyes that gazed out at everything. There was only one other thing that needed work…

Ariel was too busy admiring the dress to notice that Jenny briefly left her side to pick up an item from a small, wooden dresser. Feeling a contact on the top of her head gave her a fright and she whipped around with her arms raised; Jenny was standing behind her holding some sort of small wooden rake.

"I'm sorry dear I didn't mean to startle you," she said gently. "I was just trying to sort out your hair, it really is quite lovely."

Ariel understood the function of the small rake then. Her sisters had often times played with each other's hair and twisted it to lovely long braids with combs made of coral. It was a grooming activity shared by all, even Ariel, which solidified the family bonds. Ariel herself had many times fashioned strings of seashells and kelp into her hair, but it had always fallen off and she found the effort to be wasteful anyway. She nodded to Jenny and turned her head around.

Jenny slowly ran the comb through Ariel's very snarled hair. Her red hair was full, lush, and long, complementing the contours of her young face very nicely. But most of it was salt encrusted and very filthy, curtaining down to the teenager's lower back. Her hands were scraped and her knees bruised like none Jenny had ever seen.

_If this were my child_ Jenny thought, _she certainly would not go about in such a state._

Still, all young women liked little compliments. "You have such lovely hair Ariel. The color is very beautiful" Jenny gently stroked the back of her head.

Ariel scrunched her face. Beautiful? She was the only one in her pod with hair this color and no one had ever told her it was beautiful. Her sister Aqua had once said that it was the same color as human blood staining a bed of coral. She had not found the analogy particularly flattering.

Ariel felt Jenny finish with the comb. She then set down the instrument and held out a light blue ribbon.

"This will help keep it up and it matches the dress so nicely. And your eyes," Jenny said to Ariel fondly.

Again, Ariel was confused. Her eyes were nice? No one had ever told her that before. Granted, mermaids use their beauty as bait for their human prey. She understood that mermaids were unearthly attractive to sailors and their exquisiteness was renowned by all, but this woman was complimenting her when she was clearly no longer a mermaid. Almost as if she really meant it.

Ariel felt Jenny's fingers gently tie back some of her hair into the ribbon. It was a rather pleasant sensation to have some of her hair out of her eyes.

"There you are" Jenny said with satisfaction.

Ariel fingered the ribbon and her hair as she turned around to face Jenny again. In the woman's eyes she saw something that was an unfamiliar to her as walking. Affection. She saw it gently unfolding in her stare. Ariel did not know what to think of it so she dropped her hand and fidgeted with the folds of the dress. The passion in Jenny's gaze eased, loosening its hold on her.

"Would you like to show Eric?"

Ariel glanced up and nodded brightly. She wanted to see what Eric would think now that she was in a nice dress.

Both women stepped out into the living space, Ariel slightly in front of Jenny. John and Eric were both still seated at the hearth talking about something called a "skiff". Eric's back was to Ariel so John saw her first. His eyes widened.

"Oh my. Eric…" he lightly tapped his son's forearm and gestured with his hand for him to turn around. Eric twisted and glanced over his shoulder. His kind grey eyes took in the transformation of Ariel and he suddenly felt overwhelmed.

Both men rose politely as Ariel stepped forward grinning shyly. This dress seemed to greatly surprise the two of them but it was a nice kind of surprise; she rather liked it. She came up to Eric because she cared more about his opinion than anyone else's.

"Eric, isn't she a vision?" Jenny said behind Ariel. She saw the look in her son's eyes very clearly and it made her grin.

"Uh…you look…you're…" Eric stammered on his own voice. It was very amusing and Ariel ducked her head to hide an entertained smirk.

"You look wonderful," Eric finally got it out.

Ariel looked up and took in his eyes. Odd that she should care so much about what he thought, she had never needed anyone's approval before. But looking at Eric now, Ariel felt as if she was the most beautiful mermaid in all the human world. Without her tail of course.

…

Meanwhile, in the castle of the Dark One…

Rumplestiltskin gently stirred the remaining potion in the miniature cauldron suspended over a portable blue flame. The procedure was very delicate and needed to be done with the upmost care, least he cause a fatal accident. The dark blue substance gave another hiss as the consistency changed with his final stroke of the glass stirrer.

The imp sniffed at the escaping gas and judged the potion to still be unready. The thought gave him a wave of irritation, he was impatient for this concoction to be finished so he could get his revenge on the one being he blamed for so many bad things in his life.

The sea shell with Ariel's magical voice inside of it was perched on a high shelf in a place of honor amongst Rumplestiltskin's various magical paraphernalia. For now, it was the most important element for his revenge mission. After all, what magical being could resist the lure of a siren's song?

…

"Come on Eric and Ariel!…We don't want to be late," called out Jenny.

The two teenagers came bounding around the corner of the house, Eric carrying a basket of fish strapped to his back and Ariel a sack of oysters.

"There you two are! Market time is almost about to begin and we have not even started," Jenny scolded brightly, placing her hands on her hips.

Ariel folded her arms and leveled a look at Eric.

"Oh I see…all his fault huh?" Jenny asked with a teasing smile.

"No fair! We were both busy with the nets and just lost track of time!" Eric explained with a playful lilt and amusing eyes.

"Well the time is 'Start heading to Market to meet your father'! So march you two!" his mother said laughing.

Ariel and Eric also joined in with similar laughter except Ariel's made no sound. Not since…

Ariel had been living with the family for nearly a month now. She had never asked specifically if she could stay longer than her first night, but it had ended up happening without it. It never occurred to her to go anywhere else; she was away from her sisters and her queen and that was enough for now.

That first night had been the oddest. Jenny had laid out a small pallet stuffed with clean straw next the hearth and Eric brought a few folded blankets as well.

"It's not much but it's better than sleeping outside," Jenny had said with an apologetic shrug. She laid out the blankets on top of the mattress carefully.

Eric seemed troubled. "I still think you should just take my bed Ariel. I could sleep out here."

Ariel shook her head firmly, pointed to herself, and then the pallet on the floor.

_I'm sleeping here so get over it! _she thought with amusement and a raised eyebrow. She was wearing a borrowed nightshirt that belonged to Eric; it was miles too big for her but it was the only extra one amongst the family.

"Yeah but it gets cold and you're a guest" Eric protested still, running his fingers through his spikey, black hair. Ariel recognized that motion as one he did when he was anxious, she wondered why she had already started picking up on his habits.

Ariel gave Eric a look that suggested she thought he had not been paying too much attention. There was no way she was going to put out someone from their bed. To emphasize her point she plopped cross-legged down on the mattress in front of the two humans, grinning mischievously up at them.

Jenny smiled and knelt down next to Ariel to brush a strand of her hair back. She leaned away not wanting the contact but Jenny's hand followed. Ariel recalled the way her queen had done that same gesture just the night before but the same action from the human woman seemed different somehow. It was gentle and kind. Nice even.

"I'm sure you'll be just fine here Ariel," she said softly, "Now get some sleep. I think you really need it." She rose and walked out towards the bedroom.

Ariel nodded and curled up in a tight ball, not even bothering to wrap herself up in the blankets. Eric was about to point this out to her when he saw that she was already falling asleep. It must have been an exhausting day for her. He sighed and smiled before heading off to climb the ladder to the loft where he slept.

That had been the first of many nights in front of the fireplace for Ariel.

Now, as the three of them walked along the busting lanes towards the weekly market it felt as if she had been living with Eric, John, and Jenny forever. They had taken her in, treated her as one of their own, and had always made her feel more than welcomed. Jenny, the mother, in particular seemed to enjoy her company. She was always asking if Ariel wanted to learn how to do things around the house, go to the village, or come with her to the forest. Since the whole world of humans had virtually been opened up to Ariel she was more than eager to do it all and learn it all. Jenny seemed to be aware of Ariel's oddity for not knowing how to do even the simplest things so she was very good at explaining things. John was slower to start warming up to her. It seemed that he remained suspicious of her but did not say anything to that effect. Ariel was aware of his hesitation towards her though, it made her nervous but she chose to do nothing about it yet.

Most of all Ariel loved spending time with Eric.

He was always smiling and his eyes were always lit up with life. As a fisherman's son he had his share of work to do around the house but none of it seemed to put him down and Ariel loved helping him. He taught her how to mend nets, splice a line, bait a trawl line, and even repair minor boat damages on his skiff. She was an eager student and whenever she had questions for him she simply pointed and asked with her eyes.

The whole family had gotten used to Ariel's muteness very quickly. She had a way of conveying her thoughts through her blue eyes, her vibrant hand gestures, or simply her lively expressions. She had even begun to develop specific signs for various objects that had some importance to them. She loved exploring this wacky, new surface world.

As they both stepped casually along the path Ariel slipped her hand into Eric's effortlessly. He responded by giving a light squeeze and a warm smile. It was strange to Ariel how the both of them could come together so easily even though she did not care for contact in her previous life. No words were ever exchanged during these small moments of connection but Ariel felt as if they were complete even without them. To their right, Jenny saw the look exchanged between her son and the girl and she smiled warmly.

The hustle and bustle of market day at Venn broke the magic of the moment. The stone-paved streets were awash with people walking from stall to stall, selling, trading, bargaining, and various other market activities. Animals joined in the chorus with brays, squawks, neighs, or oinks. Ariel consciously avoided going near any horses tethered to posts. She was still wary of the animals even after a month from the incident with the queen of the land.

"Over here!"

A familiar voice had called out over the clamor of market. John was waving from the stalls set up for meat and fish. The three of them headed carefully through the courtyard full of people.

"There you are. I was starting to get anxious" John said as he gave his wife a small kiss.

She smirked and touched the stubble on his cheeks, "You worry too much John, and you know that right?"

The man gave a half-smile of agreement and helped unload Eric's basket. Market time was an occasion for the fishermen of Venn to sell and trade for various items. After helping set up the stall and seeing to it that the area was ready for sale, Eric tugged lightly on Ariel's hands.

"Want to walk around with me Ariel?" he asked.

She nodded eagerly and the both of them turned away quickly.

"Just a moment you too!" John's voice made the two of them turn. "There is much work to do today…"

"John dear, we are more than capable of handling these ourselves. Let the young one's have a day huh?" Jenny spoke gently and touched her husband's arm.

"Please father?" Eric asked. Ariel threw in a pouty face that she found was particularly good at getting a response.

John let out a sigh that suggested exasperation. "Alright. But be back in time to help clear up."

"Promise!" Eric called over his shoulder as he and Ariel bounded away.

There was so much to see, smell, and hear! Ariel was excited as she pulled Eric's hand along the various rows of stalls and carts. Mounds of vegetables, fruits, and various other eatables were piled high on numerous stands. A gaggle of cackling geese passed by in a small cart and Ariel giggled silently at the funny noise they were making.

_What a strange way to laugh, _she thought. The little mermaid had never had a chance to giggle before.

Eric seemed to be having a good time too. He strode along, occasionally pausing to wave and call out to some friends of his. They all noticed his company and nudged each other knowingly at the sight of Eric with a pretty girl.

Ariel paused at a flower stand and inhaled the scent of a rose deeply. Scents were still a new experience for her; things did not have smells in the ocean like they did on land. Ariel fingered the soft red petals, a look of wonder on her face.

_Do they taste as good as they smell? _she longed to ask Eric but could not.

"Pretty huh? I like the marigolds myself" Eric also leaned forward to sniff a group of yellow flowers.

Ariel nodded and inhaled again. As she straightened herself up she heard the sound of a small tune drifting over the hubbub of the market. They had music here! She tugged eagerly at Eric's hand, pulling him away from the flowers towards the central portion of the market.

"Hang on! Hang on!" Eric breathed as he tried to catch up. Ariel's unbound energy never ceased to amaze him.

Rounding around a cart that specialized in roots and tubers Ariel pulled Eric to a covered wagon that had a large group of mostly children gathered in front of it. The kids were gawking at the various items set up for sale in front of the wagon, mostly brightly-colored stuffed animals and playing gadgets. Their eager faces were alight with curiosity at the marvels of toys, puppets, and various other items crowding the table.

_They have items just for children? How clever! _Ariel thought.

She let go of Eric and approached the table of goods, just as eager as the kids to take a look. Gently nudging her way up to the front, she paused to admire a fancy clockwork mouse resting near a stuffed teddy bear. That is when she saw her.

A woman was standing behind the covered table, in her hands she waved a metal, rounded object where the small tune emanated from. To all other observers the woman looked feeble, old, with snaggled teeth and layers of beaded clothes. The face was wrinkled and peered out at the world through narrowed, black eyes. It was a face no one was supposed to know. But the face that Ariel saw was all too familiar.

The queen of the land. The one whose carriage had almost ran Ariel over that first time she had walked on the road traversing to the village. The one with the eyes of a shark. Ariel saw clearly through the disguise of the queen's magic.

Ariel's blue eyes widened in shock. _What is she doing here?_

The queen was talking to a man and a small girl in front of her wagon. The little girl had been holding a stuffed toy rabbit dressed handsomely in a vest and waistcoat when the queen reached over and plucked it from her small arms. Ariel heard the false accented voice but the face remained the same. It was the queen alright.

"I will not take no for an answer," the man was saying with a harsh edge in his voice.

"Papa, please…" the little girl was saying. She gazed up at her father with large, sympathizing eyes.

Ariel barely heard them. Her full attention was fixed on the woman as she took the toy rabbit and hobbled around the corner of the wagon. Ariel rounded the table to follow cautiously, ready to see what the queen was up to. The disguised woman paused at a polished glass hanging along the side of the wagon. Ariel gasped silently when she saw the face of a man in the glass speaking to the queen as if it was a being.

"Well that was awfully cruel. You could have at least let the girl have the toy" the voice echoed.

The queen had paused to exchange some words with the man in the mirror and flash a devious smile that was chilling to behold.

"Where's the fun in that? Hmmm?" the cold, calculating voice of the queen answered.

_Does anyone else see this?_ Ariel frantically looked around her but to all other passersbys the teenager girl was gawking at an old gypsy woman looking at a mirror. No one else saw what she had just seen.

"Something I can help you with?" the accented voice was back.

Ariel jerked her eyes back to stare directly at the queen of the land. She felt her heart hiccup and her throat close up in panic. There could be no other reason for this disguise than magic and Ariel was certain it was for ill ends. Having her defenses at an all-time low with no mermaid abilities made her a bit panicky. She certainly did not want the wrath of a powerful, magical queen upon her!

She shook her head rapidly and ducked away desperately scanning the crowd for Eric.

…

Regina frowned heavily and clucked her tongue at the hasty departure of the young woman. She recalled seeing that face nearly a month ago on the road traversing the two kingdoms, it was hard to miss fiery red hair like that.

"You seem troubled now," the voice of the trapped genie came quietly to her ears.

"That one saw me. I wonder…" she replied without turning her head to acknowledge the presence in the mirror.

She made a mental note to investigate why that red-headed trouble maker saw through her magic disguise when no one else did. There was something fishy about that girl and she would find out what.

…

Ariel pushed her way fast through the throngs of people in a panic, desperate to get away from the wagon. She finally found Eric standing nearby. He had not wandered off; he simply got overtaken by a large group of children trying to push their way to the toy cart.

"There you are! Did you see anything you like?" he asked Ariel.

Ariel desperately shook her head and mouthed, "_The queen_!"

"What was that?" Eric narrowed his eyes trying to read her lips.

Ariel waved her hands frantically towards the cart and tried again, "_That woman is the queen_!"

Eric shook his head to show that he still did not understand.

Ariel panted from the effort of running, but more from her rage. She agitatedly circled her hands over her head trying to mime a crown with her fingers.

"Ariel calm down…you're really starting to make me nervous" Eric grinned a little.

Ariel let out an infuriated grunt and grabbed her head in frustration.

_Why can't you understand me?_ She wanted to yell her pounding thoughts out loud.

She desperately wanted to thrash out in her anger. As a mermaid whenever she had been frustrated or upset she had allowed herself a release of rage onto the waves. Enduring the cruel teasing of her sisters and the taunts of her queen had left Ariel with a very short tolerance level. But she was no longer a mermaid who could pound the water in her frustration. Now she only had Eric, the human boy. She did not want to lash out at him though.

"Ariel are you ok?" Eric asked innocently, his grey eyes filling with worry at her appearance.

What could she do? Ariel shook her head and spun away fast, least he see the fear and desperation in her eyes. He was always very good at reading her.

Eric called after her "Ariel where are you going?"

She did not stop to turn around but continued running away. The concern in his voice nearly broke her heart despite her confusion and fear. She could not even explain to him why she was upset! Seeing the queen of the land had been too much, an unknown enemy with great power. She wanted to lash out, to strike back, just as a mermaid should but how could she do that as a human? How could she fight? Her heart was pounding so hard and her breathing was very unsteady because of her fear. This was too much…she wanted to be alone for now. She needed to think.

Eric did not try and stop her from leaving, but he did throw up his hands in frustration and did his signature run through his hair. That girl was so infuriating sometimes! He really really liked her but sometimes Eric felt as if he could not even begin to understand her, and not just the voice thing.

_What did I do?_ he wondered.

"Hey Eric!"

Eric's hand stopped mid crown when he heard the voice. He stifled a groan and turned to see a teenage girl skipping towards him.

"Hi Vanessa", he said weakly.

Vanessa was the daughter of a rich merchant from the court of King Christopher. Although she was very attractive with sharp, dark eyes and a lovely narrow face she was profoundly snobbish and vain. Eric had been in her presence many times when her father and his discussed business and merchandise. He had not found her company to his liking.

"It's sooo good to see you! Why have you been away for so long? Did you miss me?" Vanessa streamed out her questions in a very shrilly, fast voice.

Eric felt a little intimidated and overwhelmed all of a sudden. He did not know what to say, almost like his voice caught in his throat, and he had to make an effort to smile politely.

He settled on the truth. "I've been busy with the lines and teaching Ariel a few things."

Vanessa scrunched up her beautiful features into a disgusted expression. "Is that weird deaf girl still living with your family? I thought she would have left by now."

Eric felt his anger rise, but he kept it in check by hardening his voice a little. "She's not deaf Vanessa. She just can't talk. And she is welcome to stay with us as long as she needs to."

Vanessa rolled her dark eyes with a really-don't-care expression on her face that Eric found aggravating.

Eric let out a heavy breath. He turned away from Vanessa, looking towards where Ariel had disappeared, before turning his attention back to the girl.

"I should go. I need to find Ariel."

Vanessa's eyes glided down the length of Eric's body before returning to his face. "Uh huh…sure…you're coming to the Harvest Festival?"

Eric avoided Vanessa's eyes deliberately. He had thought about the Festival constantly for the past few days, but with a very different girl in mind.

"Umm…I was thinking…" He didn't have it in him to give a full out refusal, too polite.

"Great! I'll be sure and give you the honor of a nice, long dance with me" She spoke as if that would be doing him a great service. "Don't be late silly!" Vanessa turned away in a flurry of long, expensive silk skirts.

Eric could not contain his groan this time. How did these situations happen to him? It had only been last month that he had trouble even talking to a girl but now he had two vying for his attentions.

_How'd I get so lucky_? He rounded in the direction that Ariel had fled, forcing his feet to a steady pace.


	5. Chapter 5

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney.**

**Chapter 5**

Ariel felt her fear slowly ebb as she ran further and further away from the busy market place. Her wobbly knees shook to a high degree, forcing her to slow down, least she topple over onto the hard stones. Her exasperated breathing calmed to a slower rhythm as her awkward stride slackened. She was feeling a lot less scared now that she had put some distance between the queen of the land and her.

Winded, Ariel slumped against a large tree at the side of the village path, absentmindedly plucking green leaves off while she watched groups of humans walking to market. Maybe she should try and tell Eric what happened, explain to him why she had been so afraid and upset? She knew that Eric would understand, even if she really did not.

She was not angry at him, she was angry at herself. No… she was furious. Seeing the queen with the eyes of a shark had ignited such fear, such distress in her because it reminded her of her own vulnerability. As a mermaid her sisters had always nagged her for being so small, weak, pathetic. After she had grown, she could shrug off her sister's constant criticisms, though she still had to endure their looks of disapproval. Until now, she had never thought to believe them. Until now.

Ariel shredded the green leaf in her hand and in frustration threw it hard on the ground. She had never found it hard to dismiss Queen Marina's reprimands. After all, she had been responsible for everything and everyone in the pod. Surely, she was wrong…but maybe she had been right all along. Ariel had never helped bring any ships down or killed any enemies; that life had seemed so cruel and evil. But when it came down to her own battles, when she saw the danger of the queen of the land, she had turned and fled like a coward. She had even taken her fury out on the one person she truly trusted in this strange human world.

Thinking of Eric's expression of worry as she had fled from the market made her feel even worse. He had been trying to understand her, even when she was acting like a complete fool, she knew that now. He had tried to be there for her and she had brushed him off as callously as she had her sisters when she was a mermaid. He deserved better than that. She wanted to be better than that.

Face flushed with determination, she dropped the remnants of the leaf she had been fingering and rounded onto the path back towards the village. She wanted to apologize. She had never felt the need to do it more in her entire life. Even if she could not say "I'm sorry" with her voice, she wanted so much to do it.

As Ariel retraced her steps back towards the market, there came a rustle of leaves above her head "Well lookie there! Could catch a school of tuna with that face!"

Startled, she jerked her head up to catch the source of the voice. She knew that humans could climb trees but had never imagined one being so high up. Of all the strangest things… it was a disheveled-looking seagull balancing on a tree limb.

Ariel did not bother to stifle her groan. Seagulls were known by mermaids to be notorious gabbers, with no sense of hygiene, and a very crude sense of humor. That she could understand the sea creature's croaks was no surprise; if anything it was a calamity. Apparently, not all of her mermaid senses had been lost when her voice had been taken.

"Where you going toots? Off to a hot date?" the bird squawked in the signature shriek of a gull.

Ariel deliberately kept her eyes on the road, doing her best to ignore the annoying bird. Apparently, this was a stubborn one. Instead of being discouraged, the creature hopped along another tree branch to follow her along the path, gabbing continuously.

"Here I am, lost as a pigeon with no head and what do I find miles from any shore? A fair sea-maid in distress and in dire need of my assistance!" the messy bird squealed. "Well, have no fear missy! I am the best of the best in any sticky situation-be it wind or hail, heat or cold, fish or garbage…I am reaaadddy!"

While spewing his enthusiastic speech, the gull flapped down to land on the road in front of Ariel so that she was forced to acknowledge his endearing presence. Bowing his white and grey head, the bird stiffened and gave a salute of his wing that Ariel found amusing.

_I can't think of any situation where a gull would be helpful_, she thought to herself with a smirk. She cocked her hip and folded her arms, leveling the bird with an annoyed look.

"Now don't give me that look missy! I know you mer-chicks do not usually appreciate the resolve of us honorable birds but the scuttlebutt is that you need some guidance up here" the gull chirped.

Ariel frowned, _Scuttle-what?_

"The scuttlebutt! You know…the buzz, the gossip, the rumor, the chinwag…you name it!"

Ariel could not help the smile that tugged at her lips. She was starting to like the antics of this strange bird. Mermaids did not associate with such lower creatures but as a human, she found this one to be funny.

The beak of the seagull spread as he did his own bird-version of a smile, "That's the spirit toots!" The bird flapped a filthy wing, gesturing excitedly up towards Ariel.

"Perhaps you are a wanting a hot date for the coming festival! Well I can tell you for a fact that there are some fine-looking sailor boys just waiting to be snagged by a beautiful siren such as yourself!"

Ariel shook her head hard, _Sorry not interested. And I really must be going._

She side-stepped to avoid the gull and started again on the path back towards the village.

"Hey wait up toots! We were just getting started…" the gull called out as he spread his wings in a clumsy flap. He comically hopped along the path behind Ariel, not having enough power for lift. Ariel sniggered a little and slowed so that he could catch up as he bounced along.

_Scuttlebutt yourself! _Ariel thought. _Silly bird. _

As Ariel retraced her steps back towards the market, she passed a large gated walkway bordering an elegant estate. Fancy marbled statuettes, pillared stuccos, and a very well-designed garden indicated a family of great wealth and power. Had she not heard loud voices raised in anger speaking harsh, cruel words Ariel might have simply stomped past without a thought towards the humans. As it was, the shouted words rung oddly familiar.

"You stupid stupid girl!"

Ariel's legs abruptly halted and she swayed a little, adjusting to her shock. Humans rarely raised their voice but when they did all reason seemed lost. She turned towards the gate to peer through the bars at the scene unfolding in the cobblestoned courtyard of the estate. The scuttlebutt seagull slide next to her, brushing lightly against her boot.

A young woman in a very tattered dress was standing solidly in the middle of the yard, her arms full of a large basket of laundry. Her filthy blonde hair was tucked underneath a well-worn kerchief with a few wispy ends dangling over gentle blue eyes. The object of rage that Ariel had heard yell the cruel words seemed to be coming from a tall, elegantly dressed woman looming over the girl in rags. The raving mistress had her hair up in a tight, refined bun and was impeccably dressed in a sophisticated gown of red and white. Her classy appearance did little to hide the ugly, wrath-like expression on her pinched face.

"I told you to have this riding habit cleaned and pressed by the time we got back! Are you trying to ruin me?!" the evil woman screeched as she flung a scarlet jacket at the face of the girl.

The girl on the receiving end of the abuse simply turned her head, allowing the article of clothing to bounce off her face, and fall into her arms. Ariel noticed from her vantage point that she held herself with her back straight and her head set resolutely up, meeting the eyes of the taller woman without expression.

The older woman leveled a pointing finger into the face of the girl as her voice dropped an octave into a sinister hiss, "This is intolerable Ella…I will not have such laziness in my staff."

Her finger shoved hard onto the girl's shoulder as if to knock her down. The effect was minute; the girl held her ground and merely allowed her torso to shift. Done with her ranting and raving, the mistress turned towards the estate in a flurry, huffing and puffing with fury the whole way until the door slammed behind her.

"Whoa! What's eating her clam shell?" the Scuttlebutt bird croaked at Ariel's feet.

Ariel shrugged for an answer; she thought that the show was over but as she turned away another equally shrilly voice rang out.

"Ugh, what a drama queen!"

Ariel hadn't notice two younger women leaning against the corner of the outer station of the courtyard. They were practically miniature versions of the older mistress with equally pinched faces and narrowed slits for eyes. As they rounded towards the laundry basket girl, Ariel was reminded of her own sisters when they spotted weakened prey in the water. Both bore down upon the girl, eyeing her as Ariel's mermaid sisters would a tender piece of human flesh.

"You know _Cinderella_ you're liable to get thrown out. I mean _seriously, _what a stupid thing to do," said the shorter, plumper one waving her hands in sharp gestures.

_Airhead_, thought Ariel.

The taller, skinnier one in an ugly yellow dress nodded with exaggeration, "I'll say. Good hired hands are _sooo_ hard to find these days."

The sisters (it was clear they were related) circled Ella, saying other cruel comments about how she "couldn't do anything right" and was "good for nothing". If they were expected their prey to burst into tears, they must have been sadly disappointed. Ella put on her street face with eyes focused firmly forward, chin set defiantly upward, not allowing anyone to see her hurt. Ariel could not have been more impressed. Bored with their cruel game, the two meanies finally slinked away. As the two stepped towards the estate house, the skinny one deliberately adjusted her stride to bump into this "Cinderella" and caused the basket to go tumbling onto the ground, its contents spilling all over the dirt path.

"Oops! Now look what you've done," the mean one feigned shock with widened eyes and a hand over the mouth. "You're _sooo _clumsy sometimes Cinderella."

Ariel felt a white flash of fury thrust through her. The girl in rags, "Cinderella", was bearing the brunt of such harsh treatment.

But to her immense surprise, the girl did not even bat an eye. Her only response to the shove was to shrug good-naturedly, "Yes, I guess I am".

The two airheads gave Cinderella a confused look, exchanged a few "humphs", and then marched towards the house. As she trudged away, the shorter one giggled nastily and gave a few kicks to spread out the fallen items of clothing further along the ground.

Ariel was enraged. She recognized all too well the anger in her heart, and decided she could not stand there. Pushing open the wrought iron gate, she stood in the threshold of the archway, fully intending to shout some insults at the two retreating puffer-fish. Instead, her mouth flew open and nothing came out, yet again.

_Bullshark! I cannot even yell!_ Ariel grimaced silently and clenched her fists hard.

"Are you alright?"

The voice was smooth, unlike the two screeching gulls Ariel had just seen. Glancing to her left, Ariel saw the girl Cinderella kneeling on the ground and gathering up the strewn clothing. Even though she felt as if she could have taken off the heads of the two other human girls a split second ago, Ariel suddenly felt very foolish for her actions. The girl who had been tormented was calm and collected, like it never happened. Even crouching on the ground, she gave off an air of serenity that Ariel almost envied.

She quickly nodded to show that she was fine. The girl in rags smiled nicely up at her and resumed her focus onto picking up the clothes. Ariel felt a pull and walked over to knell down as well. The fury in her eyes faltered, changing into concern. She touched the thin shoulders of the girl gently and raised her eyebrows, trying to get a name. Ariel found it odd that two names had been thrown at the stranger in the last few minutes.

"Uh… sorry what?" the girl asked tentatively.

Ariel frowned. Expressing herself to humans she had just met was continually harder than she thought. Eric was always good at knowing what she wanted to say; she had assumed that it would be just as easy with this girl. Obviously not.

She tried a different approach. She pointed to the stranger and moved her mouth slowly, _Your name? _

She raised her eyebrows, trying to convey confusion. She lightly tapped on the girl's shoulder and mouthed, _Cinderella?_

"Oh no…Ella. Just Ella." The blonde straightened her shoulders a tad, as if bracing herself. "Cinderella is _not _my name. Just a nickname my stepsisters have used for years now".

Ella fixed onto Ariel's face, ready to study her response. Not all in the village believed her when she said that her name was not "Cinderella". After the death of her father when she was ten, her stepfamily had started introducing her as the new servant using that name so that everyone assumed it was alright to call her that. It certainly was _not_. But the other girl seemed to believe her.

Ariel folded her arms, half turning away from Ella as she bristled towards the estate where the two mincing humans had retreated. She understood stupid nicknames, born out of the need to inflict humiliation. And from Ella's _sisters_ too! Anger flashed in the mermaid's eyes. Ariel had endured enough taunts and teases from her own family to know that the harshest words often came from the ones closest to you.

"It's fine really" the girl said quickly as if she knew Ariel's thoughts.

As she spoke, Ella was picking up and re-folding various laundry items. Ariel helped gather a few shirts and rolled them up, uncertain how the folding technique worked. She noticed the defiant glint that had overwhelmed Ella's features as she faced her tormentors was slowly fading. In its place came exhaustion and weariness, almost like a shield coming down.

And Ella was exhausted. Years of intense labor and emotional abuse were starting to take its toll on the young woman, who was allowed few joys in life. It had been this way ever since her father died…ever since she had lost the only family she had ever known. Bearing such a burden alone was the hardest part, sometimes Ella felt as she could endure twice as much from her stepfamily if she only had someone to talk to. But she never had time to be with others, she was always working hard and trying to be strong.

The young mermaid looked hard at the maid and oddly felt as if she could understand the same sense of frustration stealing into Ella. Wanting to somehow share this Ariel jerked her thumb in the direction of the cruel women, gestured towards herself, and then raised her eyes to the sky.

_I get that all of the time from my own sisters_, she thought in place of speaking the words out loud.

Ella wrinkled her brow trying to understand and then grinned weakly, "You too huh? I don't suppose you have any advice for shutting their mouths time to time?"

Ariel gave an exaggerated shrug of the shoulders and a helpless expression, _You don't know how many times I wanted the same thing!_

Ella found herself giggling at the countenance on Ariel's face, "Well nothing to it really. All in the attitude I say."

Both girls eased up off of the ground, Ella balancing the basket of laundry precariously on her hip. Ariel noticed the skin on her hands was dried and cracked, the knuckles almost bleeding. She guessed it was from a hard day of laundry scrubbing. Why did no other humans help her? With sweat running down her neck and dark smudges on her cheeks, the poor girl looked almost worked to death.

But Ella hardly noticed, having had years of hard work to toughen herself to. It was never the back-breaking work that bothered her, just the immense loneliness that formed her life. But right now, she was glad to meet someone new her own age . Having someone to talk to…even if the conversation was decidedly one-sided…was a joy that she had not had in such a long time.

"I know there is nothing I can do about _them_. But at least I have my father's house," she continued, the words leaving her as if she wanted to open her entire self to the mermaid, "I don't think I could leave…it would be like abandoning him. Abandoning my home."

Ariel was a little confused but decided to feign agreement with a firm nod of her head.

Ella's smile grew a little wider and she seemed to really focus on the strange, red-headed girl, "I'm sorry…I didn't get your name?"

The mermaid startled to lip "Ariel" but gave up after a few unsuccessful tries. She figured that trying to mime her name would also get nowhere. Contemplating how to tell her new friend her name, a familiar voice interrupted.

"Ariel! Where are you?"

Ariel spun quickly towards the gate. She had completely forgotten about Eric! In all of the excitement of meeting a companion she had neglected to contact Eric to tell him she was okay. Eric soon came into view as he trotted just past the opened gates of the estate. Turning his head in the direction of the fancy irons, he spotted Ariel then immediately stepped past the threshold.

"Ariel! There you are. I was getting worried" he said calmly, lest he betray his earlier fears that she had run off completely.

Ariel gave an apologetic half-smile and touched his forearm assuredly, _I'm here Eric_.

Ella knew of Eric, the fisherman's son, from her weekly excursions to the markets of Venn. She had even made purchases from his family occasionally when her stepfamily demanded seafood for their evening feasts. He was one of the few in the village who graced her with her real name; he knew it was important to her.

After Ella and Eric exchanged a few familiar "hellos", formal introductions were made between Ariel and Ella. The mermaid and the maid shook hands, nodding with a fondness to each other. Ella was surprised at herself for making a friend in a stranger so quickly. But the red-haired girl just seemed too charismatic and pleasant; it was hard not to think of her as a friend. Just as the trio was settling into a comfortable gab about the upcoming Harvest Festival, another voice rang out over the courtyard. This one was as shrieky and unkind as Eric's call had been soft and concerned.

"Cinderella! Get your lazy self in her NOW! The fireplace is filthy…," it was the call of the evil-looking mistress in red earlier.

Ella clenched her eyes hard in an embarrassed grimace. It was bad enough that her stepfamily called on her all day and all night, but in front of new friends? Just as she was starting to feel like a normal girl, talking with people her age who did _not _order her around, she was yanked back to the reality of her wretched, lonely life. She glanced at Ariel, then Eric with an apology in her soft blue eyes.

"I'm sorry…I really have to go now" she said as she shifted her heavy basket up higher on her hip. Both Ariel and Eric moved forward as if to help, but were halted by another screech.

"Move it _Cinderpants_!" this one was from the skinny, taller stepsister from earlier.

"Just coming!" Ella called over her shoulder. Her sense of urgency tripled at the thought of facing her stepmother's wrath once again. The Lady Tremaine did not tolerate tardiness and would likely resort to beating Ella again if she lingered further.

Rounding back towards the estate, Ella glanced back at Ariel and Eric, "Good bye you guys." She gave a small wave while balancing the basket expertly with one hand, then turned to trot hurriedly towards her father's estate.

Ariel raised her hand in a farewell salute. She had never had cause to admire a human before (except maybe Eric) but this girl tugged at her respect. Thinking of the familiar woes of foul families and cruel teasing she shared with Ella, Ariel gave a small sad sigh.

Eric must have heard her because he commented "I've known Ella since she was ten. Her father died that winter, and her life has never been the same since."

_Never been the same huh? _Ariel thought with a sad smile. _It must be hard to lose the ones we love. Mermaids do not love…I'm starting to wonder why. _

"Come on. We better be heading back"

Ariel nodded slowly and followed Eric past the wrought iron gates and onto the familiar dirt road leading back to the village. Maneuvering herself a little closer to Eric, Ariel accidently bumped into him. She grimaced and started to mouth "sorry" when Eric waved it off dismissively.

But he did start to study her a little more closely with those piercing grey eyes of his, "So…are you going to tell me what happened back there?"

The question came so suddenly, Ariel was at first confused as to what Eric meant. Then she remembered…the queen of the land. To her immense displeasure, she felt her cheeks flush with shame at her behavior earlier. Somehow, seeing how the girl Ella had fought her own battles with her stepfamily made Ariel's flight seem all the more dishonorable. She turned her head sharply and made her posture very stiff, trying to make it clear that she did _not_ want to talk about it. She also did not want Eric to see the tears of embarrassment in her eyes. She could not tell him her secret, even if she wanted to. Telling Eric that she was a mermaid who had caught the eyes of the queen would be putting him in danger, the last thing that Ariel wanted to do.

Eric saw her shift in posture and knew what it meant. Trying to be reassuring he said softly, "Ariel, I'm your friend and being a friend means that you don't have to tell me anything that you don't want to. You don't have to tell me what happened and I will still be your friend."

Ariel nodded but still could not bring herself to look at him. This was hard enough as it is and she was certain seeing his eyes would make her wilt. Just like she had always done when her queen looked at her with disapproval and disappointment.

They continued along in an awkward silence that Ariel found unbearable. If she had her voice, she would have tried to broach the subject. Instead, she gently bumped his shoulder with hers to let him know she was there. The contact was meant to be a way to bridge the gap between them, a way to cross the abyss of silence without her voice. After a pause, Eric gave a similar nudge. Message received.

Ariel finally managed to tilt her head up to look at Eric in the face. He did not look disappointed in her; he looked…like he always did. Sharp grey eyes, disheveled spikey hair, and a smile that spread to his entire face. She felt her own lips slowly lift into a smile of their own when…

"Well look at you! Look at you! Found yourself a prince have you?"

The gull! Somehow, Ariel had managed to forget all about the scuttlebutt bird but now its screeches were a painful reminder.

"Whoa! Look at that" Eric was gazing up at a tree branch. "A seagull! And so far from the shore too."

Ariel grimaced and turned to look too. Sure enough, it was the same moth-eaten, filthy bird as before. Except now it had an even more crazed-look and a mischievous grin plastered on its beak.

"Hey there sweetie! Looks like you're going to need some help to hook this fish in" the gull flapped excitedly. "I know! Romantic stimulation!"

Opening its orange beak wide, the bird started squawking some semblance of a tune, horribly off-key and out of sequence.

Ariel clamped her hands over her ears quickly, _Shut up Scuttle! _


	6. Chapter 6

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney.**

**Chapter 6**

Ariel did not know what was worse: the dread of seeing a ship capsized in the bay, drowning all aboard, or the anxiety that overwhelmed her just before her first festival.

"Hold still Ariel! I'm almost done." Jenny continued to try and bring order to Ariel's long, flowing hair with the wooden comb.

Ariel kept wringing her hands. Tonight she was going to go to her first ever social gathering of humans, and she could not be more nervous. It was called a Harvest Festival and Eric had explained to her it was a time when the village gathered to celebrate the end of the season of picking. It sounded dubious to her, if not a bit silly. But humans liked reasons to party, however ridiculous they may be, and Ariel had no doubt the celebration would be grand.

That was what made her nervous. It seemed that every time she went out to interact with other humans she ended up doing something that caused her and Eric some embarrassment. Two weeks ago it had been her hanging over the back of a wagon to watch the horse's hooves, the week before that it was the queen showing up at market…

"Ariel stop worrying, you're going to have a great time." Jenny stroked the back of Ariel's head reassuredly.

The mermaid shrugged and continued to tug nervously at the sleeves of her blouse. Jenny had insisted she borrow another dress for the festival, one with shorter sleeves and different material. It was much nicer than her everyday blue attire with a soft camise top and patterned skirts. Her soft leather boots crunched on the straw-lain floor and Ariel even found the low noise agitating.

There came a knock at the bedroom door and Eric ducked in. At least Ariel thought it was Eric, he looked so…different. Hair slicked back, loose button-downed white shirt, and clean leather pants. Not any hint of fish scales on his hands, hair not messy, not even any grime on his arms. Eric was likewise surprised at Ariel's appearance. She looked so…beautiful. No dirt smudges or muddy legs, hair combed and pulled back in an elegant tie, and in a pretty new dress.

Jenny smirked softly to herself at the two young ones gawking at each other. Honestly, one would think that young folks did not know how to be in love nowadays.

"Well don't just stand there you two…the festival is beginning!" Jenny gave Ariel a small push towards the doorway and Eric.

Even after weeks of walking, Ariel was still unused to sudden changes in movement from her feet. She stumbled on weak knees (why was she so clumsy _now_ of all times?) towards Eric. He was still standing at the threshold, staring at her amazed eyes. Her stance still slightly awkward with her feet turned inward, she gave a self-conscious smile and cocked her head.

_Something wrong?_ she asked him with her narrowed eyes.

"Right!" Eric stumbled as he turned towards the front door, trying to get ahead of Ariel to pull it open like a gentleman should.

"Just a moment Eric," Jenny called out.

Ariel stepped outside, while Eric turned around. Waiting for the door to close behind him, he heaved a heavy sigh of fear, "Ugh! I'm going to blow it Mother! I don't even know what to do."

Jenny smirked again as she straightened her son's shirt and brushed his hair back a little. "You'll be fine Eric. Just be yourself. Now get going!"

She gave her son a little push, same as Ariel, and sent him through the door. The two teenagers nodded awkwardly to each other, moving down the familiar moonlit path towards Venn. While inhaling the crisp fall air and admiring the beautiful yellow harvest moon, Ariel became aware of an unpleasant vibration within her inner ears. It grew a little more as she turned her head east, towards the ocean. She shook her head and rubbed her ears hard.

"Ariel are you ok?" Eric asked. She nodded as best she could, still aware of her sensor problem.

Ariel opened her mouth wide, angling her jaw at the buzz in her ears. It was a tingling sensation she had not felt since she was a mermaid. The proprioception of a mermaid was far more advanced than human, even highly perceptive ones. Ariel knew what the buzzing meant, a storm was brewing, and far off shore but it was there. Just as birds and mammals were aware of pending storms, mermaids were too. Odd that she was regaining even more of her mermaid senses, tonight of all nights. Shaking her head a little more to clear it, Ariel resumed her focus on their destination.

The village of Venn was alight with the cheeriness of a party. Having had no festival experiences herself, Ariel was incredibly impressed by the merry crowds, the strung paper lanterns, and the symphony of sounds melding together. Crowds of humans were gathered talking, laughing, singing, and enjoying free refreshments set out on a long buffet table. People were dressed in their best attire with bright, vibrant colors and funny celebratory hats. It was all so magical.

As she looked out over the crowds, Ariel couldn't help but be amazed at how far her journey into the human world had taken her. Stumbling onto the shore, having come from nothing, surely this was far more than she had ever expected. It all felt so surreal, almost like it could not be happening. Then again, having fallen for a human was even more extraordinary. _That _was something her own queen would never believe, not even if the dreaded sea witch herself had prophesized it in her visions.

Thinking of Eric, she turned her eyes from the amazing scenes of the festival and glanced over at him. Her blue eyes studied his grey ones as he gazed at her, a warm breeze carrying some tendrils of hair across her face. She smiled her special smile. The one that matched the spark of wonder in her eyes and made her even more beautiful; it almost took his breath away.

"You look amazing Ariel." He had never said anything he meant more in his entire life.

To her intense displeasure, Ariel felt her face flush. She ducked her head with a bashful grin and felt rather foolish for her earlier nervousness. Eric looked towards the central bonfire, brushing his hair back, and pretended not to notice her blushing. From the raised platform at the center of the village square came the beginning of a quartet of strings, sounding a cheery tune into the fall night. Eric saw couples begin to assemble, and took a deep breath. Now he got to ask Ariel something he had wanted to all night.

"Would you…I mean…Do you want to…," it sounded as if he wanted to say something else before thinking about it. He gestured towards the circle. "Would you like to dance Ariel?"

She felt her spirits soar and her heart flutter at the question. Dancing was something she had always wanted to try as a mermaid. Couples had come to dance in each other's arms all the time along the shoreline and she had always watched with amazement.

Beaming, she nodded excitedly before a thought occurred to her, _I don't know how to dance. _Her smile shrunk as she felt her nerves kicking in.

Eric noticed. "Don't worry Ariel. If you don't know how, I'll show you. It's fun!"

Eric cupped both of his hands over hers and she found herself being led towards the other dancers, twirling and spinning in the town circle. After all of those years, looking out at the surface world and longing for this…it was finally happening!

Eric came up to an empty spot at the impromptu dance floor, which was simply a section of the town circle that the local couples had decided to invade. He turned towards her and was once more over-taken by the sheer gorgeousness of Ariel. The bonfire lit up her auburn hair so that it almost glowed and her lovely round face and soft, cerulean eyes seemed even more divine. Eric swallowed hard, becoming slightly nervous, but he remembered to bow. Ariel started to mimic but then saw out of the corner of her eye, women did a kind of dip when facing their dancing partners. She straightened up mid-bow, and unsteadily lowered herself into a clumsy curtsy. Eric smiled and held up his right hand, placing his left behind his back. At his affirmative nod, Ariel did the same. They walked in a circle, hand to hand, stepping in time with the melody.

"This is an easy one, even the royals can do it. Try not to touch too much," Eric said as they switched to the left and Ariel folded her fingers over his. "This dance is about circles and steps more so than the hands."

They spun again, back to the right hand, then stepped back and rotated in a circle. Ariel felt her body respond to the music by becoming more fluid, almost as if she was swimming, taking her with the movement of the dance. She twirled in step with the country musicians, losing sight of Eric as they rounded other partners before returning as a pair. The strumming of the band's strings and rhythm of the drums echoed into the night, just over the light-hearted laughter of the dancers. Ariel smiled knowingly at Eric as she added her own graceful arch to the last twirl in an attempt to show off her smooth mermaid moves. He smirked at her.

After a few moments, the strings and drums folded into a softer melody, one that abruptly caused the dancing to change pace. Ariel paused mid-twirl, raising her eyebrows to Eric so he would explain the next move.

"So we change things," Eric said as he stepped towards her. Slowly, he placed one of his hands on her waist and took her right hand with his other. "Like this."

There was still a space between them, and Ariel frowned at that. It did not seem right. She stepped closer to Eric until their bodies were touching and she was underneath his chin. Looking up at his surprised face, she wondered if she had done something wrong. But then, it felt so right? Their bodies seemed to fold together very nicely.

Eric was surprised but very happy. This was even more than he had hoped for, "Now we kind of let the music swing us...back and forth...back and forth."

His soft boots started working a rhythm of sway that was easy for Ariel to follow. For a fisherman's son, he sure knew he stuff. The two folded into a simple waltz, stepping back and forth with a gentle rocking. Eric gently led Ariel into another turn, but he wasn't thinking about the dance moves. He was thinking about how wonderful Ariel is, how her long auburn hair moved with her turns, how she was always smiling and looking at the world with wonder and amazement...

Ariel's thought were likewise anywhere but her two feet. She was thinking about how marvelous Eric was for showing her how to dance, how to do so many human things really. He was so handsome and kind, he had the most unbelievable clear, grey eyes that saw everything, the strongest arms, the gentlest touch...

The band played on, folding into a smooth tune that Ariel and Eric slowly swayed to. One musician in a brown overcoat stepped forward, his dark skin gleaming with the firelight, and began vocalizing to the song…

_There you see her_

_Sitting there across the way_

_She don't got a lot to say,_

_but there something about her_

Ariel snuggled closer to Eric, resting her check against his chest. Her feet kept moving with the rhythm of the waltz but the steps were automatic by now. Almost like flicking her tail through a gentle current, allowing the power of the waves to carry her. The motion felt so natural to her, as if she had been dancing her whole life.

_And you don't know why,_

_but you're dying to try_

_You wanna..._

_kiss the girl_

Eric was half-listening to the tune himself but the last lyric did catch his ears. This girl in his arms, enveloped into him like he was her knight in shining armor, was the one he really wanted to kiss. He wanted to share with her his feelings so badly, but he did not know how. His limited experience in matters of the heart made Eric uncertain how to proceed. Should he ask her? Just lean in and do it? Would she get offended? All of these thoughts tumbled into Eric's head, faster than he could process them. He was getting more and more nervous, trying hard to think of what to do.

_Sha la la la la, my oh my!_

_Look like the boy too shy,_

_Ain't gonna kiss the girl_

He was not shy…just hesitant. Eric had never been forward with girls; it wasn't like he had them knocking down his door all the time!

_Sha la la la la, ain't that sad?_

_Ain't it a shame, too bad?_

_He gonna miss the girl._

Ariel leaned forward a little more, tilting her head up. She had felt this peculiar urge to look at Eric's face. He was looking at her too, looking with a pleasant expression. Odd how they were so close together but Ariel was very comfortable. Now, she felt the need to get nearer. Inclining her head a little more, she came closer to Eric's face. He really was so handsome. She felt his warm breath caressing her upper lips and nose, felt a pull to come a little closer…

The music had ended and the other dancers had turned to face the band bringing their hands together rapidly. Ariel was so startled by the sudden noise-making; the special moment in Eric's was lost. She stepped out of his arms for a moment, looking at him with confusion. What had almost happened?

He still held her hands in his, enveloping them with an affectionate squeeze, "That was great dancing Ariel. You're a natural!"

Her eyes shone with the compliment. Somehow…compliments from Eric were the best ones in the entire world. The band picked up another tune. This one was faster and sounded like a lot more fun than the last one. Ariel was eager for another twirl so she squeezed Eric's hands in hers, and started to gesture again towards the dance floor when…

"Yoo-hoo Eric! I thought I told you not to be late"

Ariel was startled at the high-pitched voice that came from behind Eric. A girl about his age stepped into the light with a flurry of bright purple silks, a golden butterfly necklace dangling from a refined, thin neck. With his back to the newcomer, Ariel saw Eric grimaced as hard as Ella had when her evil stepmother had called for her. Thinking that something was terribly wrong, Ariel watched hard as Eric slowly turned with a fake, plastered smile to greet the new girl.

"Hi Vanessa" he said in a voice that Ariel thought sounded strange. It was unlike Eric to add a false note of gladness in his voice, and it was clear the effort was a strain for him.

The new girl did not even favor Ariel with a glance, but brushed carelessly past her to grab Eric's hands with her soft, white ones, "Eric you really amaze me! You do not even reek the least of fish tonight."

_I don't like you _Ariel immediately thought. She crossed her arms and lifted her eyes to Eric's with a bemused expression.

Eric saw but before he could say anything out loud, Vanessa unfortunately beat him to it, "Well aren't you going to ask me to dance silly?"

At her suggestion, Eric stiffened, "Actually…Ariel and I were going to…"

"Oh she doesn't mind. Right Ariel?" Vanessa turned and threw a minimal glance in Ariel's general direction. Before she could even nod or shake her head, Vanessa twirled again to give Eric an inflated, puppy-dog pout.

Poor Eric was at a lost. Two girls contending for his attention was throwing him off completely. He kept glancing between Vanessa's shallow pouty face, and Ariel's genuine confusion at the scene unfolding in front of her. But his mother had always told him to him to be polite to girls, even when the situation was inconvenient.

Feeling as if he would rather tackle a shark, indeed a whole school of sharks, he straightened and said weakly, "Sure Vanessa. One dance."

The girl let out a high-pitched squeak that startled Ariel so. Vanessa aggressively tugged Eric's arm towards the throng of dancers, leaving Ariel standing alone. Eric managed to throw his head over his shoulder, give a helpless and apologetic expression before being yanked away. Ariel waved a pathetic good-bye but could not wipe the confused expression of her face. What had just happened? Had she really just allowed the human girl to walk off with Eric?

"Looks like you got the short stick sweetie."

Scuttle the seagull swooped down and landed on an empty hay cart just next to Ariel. Ariel glared at the birds condescending tone and waved him off.

"Now really! Only one dance in and that boy did not even asked you to mamba," Scuttle squawked.

_I really don't appreciate you spying on me_ Ariel thought, crossing her arms in frustration.

She turned to watch Eric and Vanessa amongst the other dancers. Something sharp pounded in her forehead and she stubbornly acknowledged her surge of jealousy. If she only had her mermaid powers now…she would show that mincing female! But then Ariel remembered her friend Ella and the calm composure she radiated when facing her own enemies. She grudgingly admitted to herself that the burst of anger was not appropriate, it would not help any.

Feeling a bit out of place, Ariel pulled herself up into the cart next to Scuttle to watch the dancing from afar. She crossed her legs, and settled herself comfortably in a position that mirrored her perch from when she still possessed her tail.

"Quite a show eh?" Scuttle nodded towards the band and the dancers.

Ariel shrugged _It was more fun while I was doing it. _

"Nothing doing sweetie! All you's got to do is find your prince again," Scuttle ruffled his greasy head and nodded enthusiastically.

_I really don't need advice from a seagull in these matters _Ariel leveled Scuttle with her most annoyed expression.

"Really! Get in there and fight for you man!"

Ariel was about to grace the gull with another look when a thought occurred to her _I'm arguing with a bird about these things. What would my sisters say to that?_

After what seemed an eternity (with Scuttle squawking the entire time) the song ended, and the dancers finally stopped twirling. Ariel eagerly hopped off the cart, scanning the crowd for Eric's dark head. Amongst the many human faces talking, laughing, and making more noises she could not find him. Nudging her way slowly through the dancers, she came out near the bonfire where the musicians had set up the stage alongside the village board. Because she was still scanning the crowd for Eric, she did not register the sight of the four black knights crowding around the platform.

_Curses! Where has that blowfish taken Eric?_ Ariel thought bitterly.

The queen's special guard had come to the village on the night of the festival as they had always done. An easy time to get the news out of the latest offenders to the queen was now, when the square was filled with its citizens and spirits were raised in revelry. None would think to resist any arrest because often times the parties were too drunk or too merry to realize the danger of the black knights. At the moment, the four men were showing some new wanted posters to the head musician and asked again if he had seen a red-haired young maiden amongst the dancers tonight.

The man shrugged and suggested asking the villagers on the floor, not really caring either way.

When the guard stomped towards the dance floor, their imposing silhouettes blocked the light for Ariel and she noticed them for the first time. Those black demons that had threated to beat her for falling in front of the queen's carriage! What in the name of the seas were they doing here? Ariel backed away quickly, instinctively trying to blend into the crowds for cover. She felt herself sicken with terror and her heart sped up in an adrenaline rush.

A strong hand closed over her own and Ariel jerked herself away with panic, hissing in fear.

"Ariel stop! It's me," Eric looked confused and just as upset as Ariel did.

There was no time to try and mime her way to an understanding. She tugged desperately at Eric arms, trying to pull him away from the throngs of the villagers and the knights. He did not seem to protest or even resist, but just as Ariel was starting to feel like they might make a clean get away…

"Eric you silly! Where are you going? The festival is not over yet"

Of all things! That stupid Vanessa girl had grabbed a hold of Eric's other hand and was yanking him back towards the town center, and those knights. Ariel shook her head urgently, squeezed Eric's hand, trying to convey her desperation. They must not find her! She had to get out of there-now!

Eric saw clearly that something was making Ariel upset, "Ariel, what's going on? What's wrong?"

_Please! I'll try and explain later! _Ariel mouthed anxiously, temporarily forgetting her muteness.

"Whoa! What's your problem? You've had him long enough," Vanessa finally glanced at Ariel, keeping her claws into Eric's other hand. Eric grimaced as Ariel's small hand gripped even harder. Gods she was strong!

The two girls engaged in a brief tug-of-war contest before Ariel dropped her end and lunged at Vanessa, _I have to get out of here. Let go of him you carp!_

Shoving the girl back, Ariel knocked her down onto the ground with a strength that surprised even her. Vanessa landed hard on her bottom with a loud "Umph!" Momentarily shocked and afraid that she had hurt the girl, Ariel quickly stooped down to help her up.

"You oaf!" Vanessa screeched at Ariel as soon as she was on her feet again. The mermaid humbly tried to mouth an apology before Vanessa shrieked again, "What is _wrong _with you mute girl!"

The insult stung Ariel in a way that she did not know was possible. Briefly stunned, she stood there dumbfounded until Eric squeezed her shoulder gently. Shaking her head hard, trying to clear her panic, she finally noticed some rather large, imposing black masses moving through the crowds towards her. They had found her! She had to leave now. Ariel spun and desperately started shoving her way through the crowds.

"Ariel wait!" Eric called out.

"This way sweetie!"

Scuttle! Ariel saw the bird gliding in a circle just ahead. Not fully thinking on it, Ariel shifted directions and followed Scuttle. She finally got out of the obstructing crowds of humans. But Eric was still back there. She could not wait; the knights were right behind, closing in. Ariel paused, for one agonizing moment, taking in the sight of Eric and made a decision.

_Home _she signed the word quickly, praying that Eric would understand. Then she turned and ran away, followed by the seagull.

Eric was at a lost. The girl whom he was falling for had just squeezed his hands with the strength of ten men, attacked another girl, and then ran off. Standing there, gawking after Ariel, Eric was unaware of the presence of the knights until he was pulled around by an armored gauntlet.

"You there! Have you seen this maiden?" the knight shoved a parchment flyer up to Eric's face. The rendering was nothing more than a rough charcoal sketch but Eric knew; it was Ariel.

His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Exactly what business of yours is she?" he demanded.

The knight smirked, "That is none of your concern boy. Now tell me…where is she?"

Eric did not answer. He knew now that if he did, Ariel would be in grave danger. It was more than just a gut feeling. He leveled his eyes to the knight's, boldly allowing his suspicion to show, letting the man know he was not going to tell him anything.

Seeing that they were getting nowhere, another knight stepped forward to address the crowd. "The girl is wanted for questioning by the queen. No harm will come to her," the man said abruptly, hoping to stir some cooperation.

"Questioning? She can't even talk!" Vanessa's shrilly voice interrupted Eric and the black knight's battle of wits.

Eric rounded on Vanessa but stopped short of stomping on her feet to keep her quiet.

"So you do know this girl? Where is she?" the knight leaned a little towards Vanessa, attempting an intimidation tactic that had served him well over his years as one of the queen's elite.

He needn't have bothered. "She's staying with the fisherman's family. Just down the ways," Vanessa flung her hand in the direction of the village outskirts.

"The queen appreciates your cooperation." The men gathered and moved swiftly towards the indicated direction.

But Eric was sprinting far ahead of the men, clunking around in their heavy armor. He was frantic to beat them to the house and warn Ariel. What did the queen of Leopold's kingdom want with Ariel? She was just a girl. Right?


	7. Chapter 7

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney.**

**Chapter 7**

The pale new light of the morning sun made the dew shimmer like crystals on the grass as Ariel trudged along the early morning road. She was exhausted, but the need to get away kept her going. Shivering in her thin camise dress, Ariel clenched her fingers into a fist and shoved them under her arms in an attempt to warm up a little. She could not remember ever having run further or faster in her entire life. Then again, she'd only had legs for a few months now.

Last night she had been too late getting back to the house. Scuttle the seagull kept leading her in the wrong direction. Blasted, misdirected bird! By the time she had arrived, completely winded with breathes that did not seem to fill her lungs, she could plainly see the small troop of knights standing in front of the small cabin she shared with John, Jenny, and Eric. She had darted behind a tree and watched carefully to see if she had been noticed. None of the knights moved to indicate they knew she was there. She saw the human John talking to the knights in a loud voice, gesturing sharply. Jenny and Eric were nowhere to be seen. This was why she was here on the road, yet again. Running away from the village.

_But what about Eric?_ Her thoughts came relentlessly. How could she leave him now?

She had no choice. She had to leave. Reasoning herself out of this one would lead nowhere. The queen of the land was after her and Ariel was certain that she was not interested in anything pleasant. She had heard rumors of what Queen Regina was capable of. The queen must suspect something about her or else she would not go through this trouble of trying to find her.

_Just keep going_ she stubbornly told herself.

Ariel had been fleeing all night and most of the early morning. She had managed to catch maybe an hour's rest when she pulled off the road, and hid underneath a fallen log. Rising soon after she had slept briefly, she continued on, determined to put leagues between her and the queen of the land. Surprisingly, her stamina was much more than the last time she had traversed this road. When she had first stumbled on her brand-new legs.

_Almost back to my old self _she thought with much bitterness_ Running away and everything. _

Just when she was really starting to get the hang of it, just when she was starting to really like being a human, that stupid land queen came in! Filled with regretful thoughts about leaving behind Eric and the village she had come to love, Ariel did not notice the second traveler on the same road until she had bumped into the person.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" the woman in a simple blue dress said.

Ariel shrugged, not really caring. She still found it odd that humans always felt the need to apologize whenever there was accidental physical contact. As if it was offensive to touch someone without permission.

"I wasn't looking," the woman continued.

Ariel nodded and noticed for the first time the large empty basket dangling from one arm of the woman. Her cloak, an elaborately decorated green material, was slightly dust laden indicating a long journey on foot.

"Sorry to bother you but could you tell me how far the nearest town is?" the woman asked in a lilting accent Ariel found oddly pleasant.

The mermaid gestured down the road, and then opened her hands wide, measuring out a sizable distance. It had taken her nearly a night and a day to travel this far from Venn and the woman would need to go far.

"I see. Is there anywhere closer where I can find some straw? I only need to collect an armful."

Ariel tilted her head at the question, a quizzical expression on her face. What would a human need an armful of straw for? They did not eat it, unlike some farm animals Ariel knew off. But she knew of a public establishment that might possess some. Ariel gestured again down the road, turned her hand to show a right turn, and then mouthed as best she could, _Tavern. _

"Sorry, what was that?" the woman asked, studying Ariel's lips.

Once again, the mermaid was overcome by her frustration at being unable to communicate, _I don't have time for this!_

Ariel suddenly lost her patience. She did the gestures again, adding a few grunts this time, then turned and continued her fast pace down the path. She knew that it was rude of her but she really did not have the energy to care. Drudging down the path, Ariel allowed herself to slip back into her earlier depression. Where could she go now? Away from Eric was her only choice. She would have to sort out specifics later.

Ariel's ears picked up the telltale noise of clomping of hooves on the graveled road far sooner than any normal human could have. Jerking her head up fast, she strained herself to confirm the worst. A large group of riders, and a carriage headed right for her! It could only be the queen.

_What is she doing here?_ Ariel panicked.

She tilted her head, listening hard. The group was traveling towards her, towards the direction the other woman was walking, and Venn. Ariel quickly gathered up her mud-stained hems and skirted off the road into the forest foliage. She stumbled as best she could away from the view of the road and then crouched down to watch.

Belle heard the carriage too and quickly altered her steps towards the side of the road. This was the first time she had seen such traffic on the road from Rumplestiltskin's castle. The black horses of the first of the guards clip-clopped past Belle as she watched, fascinated with their strange attire.

Ariel was watching too, but with more of a sense of urgency. When the carriage abruptly stopped and Ariel heard the door open, she could not have been more surprised. She thought the queen was on the way to the village looking for her, so what did she want with this strange straw-seeking woman? She ducked her head further so as to avoid any of the guards' eyes and listened hard to find out.

"Did my carriage splash you?"

Ariel heard the false, friendly voice and she felt an unexpected shiver creep down her. Something was wrong; the queen would not use such a tone. She did not know how she knew but she knew. From her hiding place Ariel saw the queen step out her carriage, and the entire party continued along the road. Instead of remaining safely on the forest floor, Ariel slowly eased herself up to stalk the group. She followed from the cover of the thick green foliage, determined to hear what the queen of the land was really up to.

"You carry very little," the queen was saying in that same fabricated, kindly voice.

Ariel suppressed a growl. The tone was condescending and inflated, like someone who wanted to know something badly. Being a mute for the past few months had taught Ariel a thing or two about picking up different tones in others voices. But the other woman did not seem to notice. Belle and Regina continued down the path, chatting nonchalantly. Ariel followed from the safety of the forest, stepped cautiously over a fallen log, and considered her options. She was learning nothing from this rather-odd conversation about masters and lovers, and reflected on abandoning her eavesdropping. It was probably the safest thing to do. Crouching down again, keeping her eyes on the road, Ariel paused to allow the party to continue on without her. But then a familiar phrase rang from the queen's mouth.

"True love's kiss will break any curse," Regina said assuredly to Belle.

_Why does that sound so familiar?_ Ariel scrunched her forehead, trying to figure it out. _Where have I heard that…?_

Rumplestiltskin! Her deal! Her sapphire eyes widened in disbelief and shock. She had to have true love's kiss or she would be a mermaid again. And here she was-miles from any shoreline with no plan whatsoever! She stopped watching the road and brought her clenched fists to her temple. She could not believe that she had forgotten her agreement with the man of magic. _Don't panic_. Unfortunately, she could not talk herself into that. _Oh gods!_ It was only three days until the end of the final moon and who was she going to get to kiss her? It was not as if…

But then Ariel remembered Eric and the special night of the Harvest Festival. How she had held him so close, his arms around her, his lips almost touching her own. She had been so close then! Why hadn't she just been more forward and leaned in a little more!?

_Because that is not how you are_ she mused to herself. _Still the quiet and shy one, still the weakling. _

Ariel almost hissed with fury before she caught herself and listened for signs of the queen and the other woman. They were much further down the road now, almost completely out of sight.

"An ordinary man," the queen was saying quietly.

_Yeah you'd know all about that_ Ariel thought sarcastically. _How is it that I can hear you anyway? You're so far away and yet…_

Ariel let out a frustrated moan as she closed her eyes and inclined her head upward, cursing yet again at her thoughtlessness. Her keen hearing, the strength she exhibited when knocking down that Vanessa girl, her advanced proprioception at the festival… she had noticed her senses becoming more and more heightened yet she had not made the connection. She was already becoming more mermaid with each passing day! She half expected to see scales popping up on her thighs at any second.

But there was nothing she could do now. The young mermaid continued to crouch on the forest floor, breathing as lightly as she possibly could. After an eternity of wait, the queen and the woman in blue strode away. Ariel rubbed her hands hard, trying to get some warmth back after sitting in the cold morning dew for so long. Finally, when her sensitive ears detected no hint of the carriage, the black knights, or the queen, Ariel risked easing herself up. She cautiously stepped back towards the road, glancing both ways to assure herself she was alone again. Then she took off at a rickety sprint back towards Venn.

_S_he had only three days left. Three days to find true love.

"And then it's back to fins and scales dearie!" Rumplestiltskin's voice echoed in Ariel's panicked thoughts.

* * *

Elsewhere, just on the edge of the Enchanted Forest...

Ella pulled her tattered cloak a little tighter around her slender form as yet another chilly wind cut through the forest trees. It was unusually cold this time of year, just after the harvest at that. The icy, metallic smell of the first Fall rains wafted in the air, urging Ella's legs a little faster. But even the impending threat of rain had not stopped her from sneaking out after dinner to see the show. The Lady Tremaine and her own daughters had retired early to bed after feasting on a scrumptious four-course meal. Ella, as always, waited on the three as both a servant and a constant source of amusement.

"You're too stupid as it is Cinderella!" her stepsister had told her as the older girl buttered a roll and shoved it into her large mouth right in front of Ella's face.

Not since she was a child had Ella _ever_ given her stepsisters the satisfaction of knowing how badly their words hurt her. So she just stood there, ignoring the taunts and her own rumbling stomach until it was time to clear the table. After finishing the dishes, she ate a quick sandwich then sneaked outside through the small kitchen door. Slipping through the back gate and across the meadow, she found her special tree and began to climb up. It was the tree that she had planted at her mother's grave when she was just a child. Sometimes, when Ella was in the highest boughs, she allowed herself to fantasize that the swaying tree branches were her mother's arms. The large oak limbs scooping her in a big, protective hug, the likes of which she had never known or could not remember.

Ella settled herself comfortably into the highest branches of the tree, dangling her legs over a thick bough. As she leaned contentedly against the bark, she wrapped her cloak a little tighter against the cold. In the light of the moon and the twinkling stars, the pale silhouette of the castle of King Christopher was just barely visible in the distance. Enjoying the peace and quiet, Ella waited patiently.

BOOM! CRACK! BOOM!

Ella squealed with joy when the first of the fireworks from the castle parapets burst into the sky. Then another, then another…each a brilliant display of color and sounds, lighting up the night skies. Since she was so high up, she just knew that she had as good a view as the royal family themselves, Prince Thomas and his father King Christopher. For one glorious hour Ella was able to enjoy herself like any other normal girl in the kingdom, nestled safely in the branches of her mother's tree, watching the incredible show. But all too soon, the night dimmed again as the fires in the sky receded, leaving a lingering smell of sulfur in the air.

_Happy Birthday Prince Thomas_ Ella had thought to herself, chuckling at the ridiculous notion that she would ever be able to speak to a prince face-to-face.

Now, Ella was hurrying as fast as she could back to the estate. Ducking her hooded head against the first sprinkles of freezing rain, she worried that maybe she had lingered a little too long after the fireworks. Her focus was so much on the dark ground in front of her; she did not notice Ariel trudging along the same path but in the opposite direction. The two girls lightly bumped into each other.

"Ariel! What on earth are you doing out here?"

Ariel was just as shocked to see Ella. Earlier in the evening she had forgone the road, hoping to find a short cut back to the village through the forest path. But then she had forgotten it would lead right through the grounds of the Tremaine estate. Her sharp mermaid sense had no trouble navigating the dark forest trail but somehow Ella had managed to sneak up on her. Incredible.

_Ella! You're good at moving around silently _Ariel thought favorably, rubbing her bare arms against the chilly night wind. _You'd make a good mermaid._

Ella noticed Ariel's discomfort and that the other girl looked quite perturbed. "Ariel its freezing and it's about to pour! Where's Eric? Is he with you?"

Ariel flashed Ella an incredulous look. _Of course not! You do not see him right? I have to go now. _

She lifted her hand in the tradition human good-bye gesture and started away.

"Hang on! You can't go tramping around in the woods this late." Ella called after her, the firmness in her voice startling. What on earth was Ariel thinking? It was dark and about to storm rain.

_Well you're one to talk, you're out late too! _Ariel rounded back towards Ella, glaring at the girl with indignation. After hiking through the woods and along the road all day, she was in no mood for any accusations.

But Ella was used to people looking at her with anger, it did not bother her one bit. She did however try to soften her voice so as not to sound like she was reprimanding. "If you need a place to stay tonight, you can come home with me." Ella said with a firm nod.

Ariel immediately felt guilty for her rude behavior. She really should learn how to control her emotions better.

_I'm sorry _she mouthed as best she could. Unused to asking for help, Ariel allowed herself to hesitantly nod an acceptance to the offer.

Ella understood, and nodded lightly with a kind smile. Ariel joined Ella in her walk back to the estate. She had wondered earlier what she would do during the storm but reasoned that finding shelter was not as important as her mission. But by the time she got back to Venn, it would be dark and certainly not the best time for convincing someone to kiss her.

Ella insisted on sharing half of her cloak so that Ariel could duck underneath it for shelter against the falling raindrops. The two girls stole quickly across the grounds, scrambled nimbly over the wooden fence bordering the courtyard, and made for the side entrance. Ducking her hooded head into the doorway, Ella scanned the hallways confirming that the coast was clear. The old wooden tower clock chimed midnight, but otherwise the estate was as silent as a crypt.

"Come on," Ella whispered, "This way".

The two teenagers tiptoed silently across the marbled floors of the dining room. Ella made a mental note to wipe away their muddy boot prints as soon as she got Ariel settled in her room. Thinking of the hard beating she would receive from her stepmother if she were caught sneaking home so late, Ella could not help but cringe. The two teenagers silently traversed down the long carpeted hallways, dimly lit with the peeking moonlight from the high reaching windows. Ella led Ariel into the kitchen, completely dark now with no windows to let in light, and turned to a small door half-hidden behind some old wine barrels stacked next to the fireplace.

Ella's "room" was nothing more than the remnants of an old root cellar that had ceased to be useful for food storage due to a mouse infestation. Ariel's sensitive mermaid nose picked up the scents of wet soil, mold, and rotten timber boards that reminded her of a decaying ship. Hardly an appropriate dwelling for a sea slug let alone her friend Ella! But still even here, there were signs of a considerate living. The floors were swept clean, the walls scrubbed and whitewashed, and Ariel saw a few carefully tended candles, books, and other personal items arranged neatly on a worn, wobbly table.

Ella bustled in, shedding her soaked cloak and hung it on a nail stuck into the wall. She went over to the table, the only furniture that Ariel could see in the dim light, and started fumbling with a flint and steel. Numb fingers made the progress too slow.

Ariel quickly walked over and gently took the stones. _Let me please?_ she asked with her eyes.

"Thanks. I'll be right back. Make yourself at home." Ella ducked her head under the low cellar door and headed up the stairs back to the kitchen.

Ariel quickly lit a few candles with a piece of tinder she found and glanced around some more. Ella's bed was a straw pallet similar to where Ariel had slept on the floor at Eric's house, but far more worn and with less blankets. A few charcoal sketches of horses, wolves, and what looked like a woman and a man were tacked up on the wall just opposite the pallet.

_Who is that supposed to be?_ Ariel thought, leaning in to study the later picture.

Ten minutes later, Ella had brewed some hot tea and the both of them were seated cross-legged on the dirt floor. Sipping from the chipped mug, Ella could not help but reflect on her horrible hospitality. She could only use left-over leaves and honey as a cheap substitute for sugar, her stepfamily offered nothing else.

She felt the need to apologize to Ariel. "Sorry about the tea. It's all I have."

Waving her hand dismissively, Ariel shook her head hard and took another sip.

"So what were you doing out in the woods this late? I thought you were going to the Harvest Festival." Ella could not help but ask.

Ariel played with her lower lip while trying to think of an answer, _I'm not sure I can tell you everything. I don't even know what I can tell you._

"Were you leaving Venn?" Ella asked, taking a sip of tea.

Ariel shook her head sadly, unable to hide her gloom and fear.

"Ariel…what's wrong?"

Her concern was well-put but Ariel was at a lost as to how she could tell Ella. Even if she did have her voice, it would be so very difficult to explain.

She thought about how she would word it, _I'm a mermaid on the run from two queens, one from the land and one from the sea. I have to get true love's kiss within two days or else I'm going to have a tail again. I can't even tell the boy that he needs to kiss me because I sold my voice to a man of magic named Rumplestiltskin and that is just too weird when I word it like that!_

Ella tilted her head, fixing Ariel with her serene, crystal blue eyes. She made a quick guess. "Does this have something to do with Eric?"

Ariel smiled a sad, half-smile and nodded only once. Her own fathomless blue eyes clouded with concern and fear. Ella sensed this was difficult for Ariel to talk about (not with her voice obviously) but decided it was in her calling as a friend to try and help. She ducked her head a little, locking onto Ariel's eyes. "Well…do you think you have feelings for him?" she asked gently, trying to reassure the nervous mermaid.

Ariel frowned and fiddled with her cup, _I hadn't thought of that. It's supposed to be true love's kiss but I thought that meant I did not have to love him; he just needs to love me. But then…_

Ariel thought about how Eric made her feel wonderful, how she felt whole and not like a defective mermaid around him, how she wished him to be happy too. She also thought about those piercing, storm-grey eyes of his, able to take in the whole world and still have time to shine in a special way at her.

_Is that what love is?_ she thought wistfully. _Mermaids do not love so I do not know. How do I know its love?_

It was all so confusing and Ariel did not like it. Clenching her fists in frustration, she let out a discouraged humph of air. She longed to ask Ella, but of course could not.

But Ella could clearly see the turmoil in the other girl's thoughts, as obvious as the fireworks she had watched earlier that evening. Showing ones feelings was a luxury Ella had been unable afford since she cried at her father's funeral. Not since her stepmother had placed her in a maid's position. But she did understand the need to let things out every once in a while.

"Are you happy when you're around him?" Ella prodded the mermaid, sensing the girl's frustration. She reasoned it would help if Ariel talked about her feelings a little bit.

Ariel smiled and looked down. _I guess so,_ she thought finally. _But I never really paid enough attention._

"A very positive sign," Ella sighed lightly, shaking her head. "I've never been in love myself, but I think each person experiences it differently. It's supposed to be the most powerful magic of all, so maybe that means it should be something that you feel strongly about."

Ariel narrowed her eyes and sipped her cup again. Oddly enough, Ella was making sense.

_But I don't know if I feel strongly about it_ she thought worriedly. _I really don't know how I feel. _

Long after Ella and Ariel were curled up together on the pallet, these thoughts continued to pound into Ariel's head. She truly did not know what to do…

* * *

"Ariel," came a soft voice.

Ariel scrunched up her face and reluctantly opened her eyes. Ella was kneeling next to the pallet, gently shaking her shoulders.

"Sorry to wake you but its dawn," Ella whispered. The faint, ambient light peeking from a hole in the tattered ceiling confirmed this.

Ariel nodded and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Time to leave and continue her quest to find Eric.

As she threw off the thin coverlet, Ariel thought again of her daunting task,_ I have to get back to the village, find Eric, and somehow convince him to kiss me, all the while avoiding getting caught by the queen or any of her guards. What a plan!_

She grimaced as the images of the impossible idea flashed in her thoughts. Unlike Ella, Ariel had never mastered hiding her emotions.

Ella saw and settled her calloused hands on Ariel's shoulders, giving the mermaid a light but firm squeeze. "Hey, it's going to be ok. You'll see. Have faith in your dreams."

_That's an odd thing to say_ Ariel could not help but think. But the strength and spirit of the maid was contagious and Ariel suddenly found herself believing that it was possible. That somehow she could have her own true love in the surface world. Her spirits lifted, immediately replacing the worry and sorrow that had filled her soul since the day before. She flashed a sunny smile at Ella, immensely grateful at her friend for the support. The blonde returned the smile with one of her own and pressed an apple and a small loaf of bread into Ariel's hands as the two stole quietly through dimly-lit the kitchen.

"Breakfast" Ella quipped. Ariel fought hard to suppress a giggle.

Once again, the two teenagers sneaked through the regally carpeted hallways and across the polished dining room floor, still tip-toeing like bandits. Ella grabbed her now-dried cloak, a trowel, and an old rag on the way out.

"I usually go visit my mother and father's graves once a week to take care of them," she explained in response to Ariel's raised eyebrows and pointed finger. "It's just on the edge of the estate grounds."

_You visit where you're loved ones are in the ground?_ Ariel was partially shocked. _That is disgusting! Why in the seas would you do that? _

But she did not have time to inquire further. The two of them were just at the iron wrought gate, the same one Ariel had pushed her way past the first time she had met Ella. Was that only a few weeks ago?

"I have to go this way now," Ella nodded to the right.

Ariel nodded too and was about to sneak through the gates when Ella suddenly enveloped her in a hug. Ariel was too shocked to try and resist, her first hug in the human world was so sudden. But then she relaxed a bit and felt her own hands automatically come up to cling to Ella's body. This was different than what she was used to: when mermaids hugged they used only their tails, not their arms. Wrapping one fluke around another. But somehow…a human hug felt more personal, more intimate. It certainly seemed to last longer and Ariel found herself enjoying it.

"Good luck!" Ella gave Ariel a warm squeeze and pulled back, clasping both her hands and giving them a firm shake.

The mermaid smiled, nodded happily, and squeezed Ella's own hands back to show her gratitude.

The two girls parted ways.

* * *

Ariel sprinted down the road, not even bothering to acknowledge the other humans walking the same path. Although she had been confident earlier, her sense of urgency tripled as the sun rose higher into the sky. This was the second day and after the sun set on the third day, she would be a mermaid again. The idea of suddenly transforming in the middle of the village square, her long emerald tail flopping uselessly on the hot cobble-stoned streets, frightened poor Ariel to no end. If the humans did not rip her apart, she would certainly succumb to dehydration within minutes. She would die.

Dodging this way and that, Ariel rounded around the humans and finally broke free of the crowds into the village square. As she passed the remnants of the Harvest Festival bonfire, still piled up next to the town's news board she saw something. Something that made her day, if it was even possible, worse.

A wanted poster. Of her! Her face sketched onto a flyer with the phrase "Wanted For Suspicious Activities" etched underneath. Right next to the drawing of a woman with dark hair who was wanted for "Crimes against the Queen: Murder, Treason, Treachery."

Ariel ripped the poster down, crumpling it in her fury. _That shark! What did I do to get her attention?!_

But there was not time to dwell on this. Already her strange actions were causing unneeded attention from the villagers. She quickly tossed the flyer onto the ground, and then resumed her sprinting towards Eric's house. Had he seen the wanted poster? What would he think of her? How was she going to explain this? She found out that it was not Eric she would have to explain it to, it was his stoic father…

John was seated on a wooden stool, leaning against the front of the house. On his lap was a net in need of mending, and he was leaning over it with his darning instruments. But he looked up quickly at the sound of Ariel's footsteps. His eyes darkened with fury and Ariel could not help but flinch.

"So you've returned." He ducked his head back to his work but continued to speak to Ariel. "When you did not come back last night, I assumed you were hiding from the black guard."

_John please! I did not do anything. _Ariel longed to speak but could not.

"I don't know what kind of crimes you are guilty of…but you'll not involve my family anymore." He looked up again and fixed Ariel with an angry glare. "You are not to see Jenny or my son anymore. I have no love for the queen but I will not hesitate to turn over a criminal."

Ariel did not even try to argue, it was not in her. She had been treated so kindly by this family and now she had brought trouble to them. She felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. How could she think that she could ask Eric for a kiss now? When she had been nothing but trouble for him since the day he had found her lying on the side of the road.

"I suggest you leave here and not come back." John continued. "The queen's guard is not departing until tomorrow evening and it is not in your best interest to stay here."

Ariel turned and slowly started to trudge away, fighting the tears of disappointment that threatened to pour down her cheeks. That was it then…no hope. She would turn back into a mermaid tomorrow night.

* * *

**Note: The tree at the grave of Cinderella's mother comes from the play "Into the Woods", some of the dialogue obviously comes from the original 1950 Disney animated film "Cinderella", and the idea of Ella seeing Prince Thomas' birthday show was inspired by "Dinner and a Show" by RicksIlsa. **

**Please review! I love getting good feedback :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney. **

**Chapter 8**

The news that a new criminal was being coveted by Queen Regina did not settle well with the village of Venn. All of the locals already resented the queen for the repressive presence of her guards when taxes were collected and new laws enforced. No one in their right minds would even think to offer to help hunt down the fugitive. So because of this collective consensus, despite the continued patrols and the questioning, by the next day the guards had remained unsuccessful in taking the criminal into custody known by all to be an odd, red-haired, mute girl.

But their prey was further away than anyone would have suspected…

Ariel abandoned Venn only after scouring the entire village and outskirts for Eric. Despite his father's strict orders, she could not bring herself to leave without saying good-bye to him. However, like the knights she had been unsuccessful in her endeavors. Any attempt she made to ask local villagers where Eric might be ended with them giving her distrustful looks and shielding their children from sight, as if her very presence brought a pox upon all of them. It did not help that she could not speak and had to rely upon signing and scratching her message on scraps of paper with charcoal sticks. Apparently, when humans sensed an outsider they did not hesitate to ostracize. Ariel was well aware of the stares and whispers. Often times she heard the voices despite the parties best efforts:

"Showed up out of nowhere without any clothes…"

"Never spoken a word…"

"Weirdest behavior…not natural…"

"Ought to turn her in you know. She might be dangerous…"

It did not bother her. She had lost track of the number of times her sisters had threatened to feed her to a shark, to toss her away like an unwanted scale, or push her into a whirlpool. What did bother her was that she could not find Eric, or even Scuttle. Despite her stubborn nature she gave up after night had fallen. The guard had doubled patrol and she spent more time avoiding them by ducking into alleys than looking. If Eric was back at his house, she could not go there. His father would likely drive her out or worse, turn her over the queen's guard. It was amazing that John had let her go to begin with. He had always had his suspicions about her, and now the visit from the queen's guard only reinforced them. She was a wanted criminal and he had had every reason to turn her in, and yet he had allowed her to leave.

_I'll never understand humans_ she thought disdainfully.

It was night now and she continued to travel. Since it was now officially winter the cold came with a vengeance after the sun fell, the full moon bright and beautiful against the dark canopy of stars. Having no clothing that offered even a semblance of protection against the chill, Ariel could only wrap her thins arms tightly around her torso. Her breath came out in rapid puffs of mist as she tramped down the road. She considered going back to Ella's, but then decided against it. She did not want to burden her friend further and there was really nothing Ella could do.

_Have faith in my dreams huh Ella? _She thought to herself as she stepped past the path that led to the gated walkway of the Tremaine estate. _I wish that had been enough. _

There was nothing she could do to stop it. She would turn back into a mermaid the following night, when the sun set on the third day. Since she had resolved herself to that fate, Ariel was returning to her true home. That's right…she was going back to the ocean with her tail tucked between her legs, as the humans put it. If she was not back in the water by the time her transformation happened, she would die. Simple as that.

Changing courses she turned off the road, blindly following her pure mermaid instincts that the sea water was in an easterly direction. She was now traveling through the very depths of the Enchanted Forest. A wolf howled long and lonely in the distant and the mermaid imagined she heard the same note of sadness and desperation in the other creature's tone. She had not intended to feel sorry for herself but when she stopped her hike to settle down for the night, the tears came hot and heavy. Curled up in a miserable little ball on the freezing forest floor, Ariel whimpered softly, her sobs not making a single sound. She felt as if her heart had been ripped out, beaten to its core, and then thrust coldly back into her chest.

_How could I have been so stupid? How could I think that it would all work out?_ She asked the dark sky but the night was as silent as the stars.

* * *

Traveling as she had, not stopping for rest, Ariel reached her destination by late the next afternoon.

_I'm home _Ariel reflected as she stepped out of the tree boundary and into the sandy shore.

Despite (or perhaps because) of the circumstances that led her back here, Ariel was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of nostalgia when she saw her beloved ocean again. Three moons she had been away. Three moons away from the beauty, the gentle touch, the smells, and the tender movement she associated with her old home. Her leather boots sank awkwardly into the sand until Ariel sat down and pulled them off. She wiggled her toes, savoring the feeling of the grainy material on her feet.

_If only I could have both_ The crazy idea came to her head. _If I somehow saw Eric again I would walk right up to him, tell him I'm a mermaid, and then he would still love me. _

She slowly descended the slope towards the waterline. Inhaling the intoxicating scents of salt water, seaweed, and wet sand Ariel felt herself let go. For just a little while she forgot her troubles; forgot that any hour now she would have to swim back to her pod and surrender herself to the mercy of her queen, forgot that she had found and then lost a wonderful human boy. Hesitating for a moment, uncertain as to how she would feel, the mermaid stepped forward and boldly put her feet in the cold water.

It felt so wonderful! Like a rush of euphoria, unfelt in nearly three months. But only for a moment. Ariel thought again of Eric and fought the urge to start weeping again.

_Get a hold of yourself!_ Anger was a more familiar emotion so she decided to try and switch to it. _You tried and you failed…simple as that. No more tears you pathetic, spineless little…_But then she had to stop; the words were echoing what her sisters always called her, what Ella had to endure every single day of her young life. The words were not who she was.

_Gods what is wrong with me?_ Ariel sank down to her knees, letting her soiled skirts soak up the foamy wash. There didn't seem to be any sobs left in her, not even the gentle touch of the waves against her calves helped. She drew her knees up to her chest and sat huddled, allowing the cold caress of the sea to stroke her feet again and again.

_If this is supposed to be what you feel when you lose someone you care about…I don't understand love at all. _Ariel thought as she hunched. _This can't be the "most powerful magic of all", not when I feel so…_

Suddenly, a grey-white flash came hurdling from the tree lines and smacked right into the large boulder nestled next to Ariel on the shoreline. A small explosion of downy fluff poofed into the air. Temporarily shocked out of her depression, Ariel rose and quickly walked over to see if the creature was alright. Said-party was an oddly-familiar, disheveled, cross-eyed, bundle-of-mess seagull, rolling around in a crazy manner but seemingly unhurt.

"Ariel! I've been looking all over for you sweetie. Have I got news for you!" Scuttle flapped, cawed, and hopped up and down at the same time. His greasy, disheveled head bobbed fervidly and his bird-eyes had that crazy look to them again.

Had Ariel not been so miserable she would have laughed in delight at seeing her old acquaintance. As it was, she could only manage a small smile.

"You'll never believe who I just saw. Here I was, talking to my best buddy when…"

"Ariel! Ariel over here!"

Another voice called out her name, but this one was human and was strained with urgency. Ariel turned and saw Jenny, Eric's mother, trotting down the shore towards where Ariel and Scuttle stood. A thick teal shawl was wrapped around her shoulders and the familiar white kerchief tucked over her ears.

Ariel tugged at her torn sleeve self-consciously, suddenly very aware that she had ruined the nice dress Jenny had lent her for the Harvest Festival. An embarrassed flush rose in her cheeks as she looked down at her mud-splashed skirts, ripped top, and the stained undershirt. But Ariel was sure that this would not be the worst of it. She was certain Jenny was here to give her a merciless scolding for all the trouble she had caused her son. In the months that she had come to know the human woman, Ariel was well aware of the close bond mother and son had shared.

Bracing herself for the worst, Ariel straightened herself and cast a wary eye at Scuttle as if to say, _Stay out of this._

But just as she was prepared for battle mode, the woman did the last thing Ariel expected her to do. She put her arms around the mermaid in a loving hug. Ariel stiffened up in the embrace, feeling like a stick. Twice now she was encased in a hug, very odd these ways of humans.

"Ariel! Where have you been? I was worried" Jenny breathed into Ariel's matted hair. "You didn't come back to the house and we have not seen you for days!"

Ariel swallowed hard, her head still reeling from surprise. _You don't hate me?_

Jenny loosened her hold a little. "And then Eric and John had that fight and he took off in his skiff…" she continued in a harried, troubled tone.

Ariel jerked herself out of the hug, hoping she had heard right. _What? Eric is on the sea now?_

She pointed to the surf, made her usual high-pitched mewing noise to signal a question, and mouthed slowly _Eric?_

"Yes dear" Jenny's voice said, but Ariel was not quite listening.

_I can still make it! If I can just reach him before the sun sets._ Ariel felt an excited tingling in her body at the possibility. She racked her hands heatedly through her filthy red hair. _Eric is out there!_

She turned, completely ignoring Jenny as she scanned the horizon hopefully.

"Oh you won't see him now. He left early this morning after getting into a fight with John" Jenny reassured Ariel, wondering at the look of realization on the teenager's face. She sighed and shook her head sadly, recalling the intense confrontation this morning over the breakfast table. Her son felt as if it was his soul duty to find out where Ariel had run off to but her husband had expressly forbid it. After a heated exchange between father and son, Eric had stomped out of the house towards the path that led to the shoreline.

Following the arrival of the queen's guard, Jenny herself had gone through her memory of all the times she had spent with Ariel. Nothing in her entire manner had ever suggested the teenage girl was a maleficent person with a criminal mind. Ariel had always been sweet and wonderful to her son and Jenny would not even consider thinking badly of her. However, her husband had been a little less convinced. "Eric went out looking for you early this morning," she said finally, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind Ariel's ear. "After he didn't find you he went out on his skiff, hoping to get away and think a little. He really is very worried about you."

"That's what I wanted to tell you kiddo! I saw your prince," a bird-voice screeched out.

_Scuttle! Where did you see him?_ Ariel turned completely away and rounded back towards the bird, frantically wringing her hands.

"Well I was flying… I mean of course I was flying…and then I saw the flounder, no your prince and then flounder…I mean" the bird stammered in cohesively, eyes scrunched hard in concentration.

_Just tell me where you saw him! _Ariel clenched her fists hard and thumped them against her thighs in frustration. She wanted nothing more than to reach out, grab Scuttle by the neck, and wring the answers out of the deranged bird. She shook her head, glaring at Scuttle with fury.

"It's alright, I can tell her," came a younger voice behind the rock, from the shallows of the deeper tide waters behind Scuttle's rock perch. Ariel leaned over to look.

A round, scaly head poked itself out of the waters. Even for a sea creature the coloration of light blue stripes on a yellow hue was startling and very noticeable. The striped bass was one of the largest and roundest Ariel had ever seen, its large oval-shaped body stretching as long as Ariel's arms. But the creature gave off an air of magnetic appeal with its expressive, friendly face and large pleasing eyes.

"I'm Flounder." The fish stuck its head further out to enunciate better, its large gills flapping heavily and uselessly out of the water.

Despite the circumstances, Ariel had to pause and cock her head inquisitively at that. _Flounder? _Asfar as she could tell, it was a striped sea bass, not a flattened flounder. The round, robustly fish was the furthest image of a flounder than she could possibly imagine.

"Yeah I know..." The young one pursed its translucent lips together, doing the best impression of a grimace as a fish can. "My mother had a sense of humor".

"Ariel, what are you…" Jenny was entirely confused. She was watching the teenager engage in a heated argument with a seagull and a fish. Normally she would be concerned that this behavior indicated madness, but the girl had been sleeping on her floor for months now and Jenny felt as if she knew her well enough by now.

"I saw Eric, the one Scuttle says you were with, leave this morning in his boat." Flounder the not-flat-fish said hurriedly. "He was not paying attention to the waters, looked like he was angry. Didn't even notice me swimming next to him."

_I have to find him_ Ariel knelt down and gently took the fish face in her hands, trying hard to convey her thoughts since she could not speak. _Please help me._

"I'm on it!" The fish ducked underneath the waves and Ariel saw his huge round body gracefully arch towards deeper waters. He was only gone a minute and when he did come back, Flounder was nudging a huge floating beam towards the shore. The article had formerly graced the highest mainstaff as part of a mast in a previous life but now, it would serve a better purpose as a life-vessel for Ariel. A thick coil of rope was attached securely to one end, with the other end held firmly in Flounder's mouth. Ariel waded into the shallows to touch the beam and confirm it would work well as her ride. But she still had one thing left to do…

After returning to the shore, Ariel began to wiggle out of her skirt. The long folds of cloth would only slow her down for what she was planning on doing. She allowed the material to drop to the ground, and then swooped upward to pull the camise top off too. Once done, she stood in front of Jenny with only her long undershirt and dark, skin-tight leggings on. Her arms instantly hardened with goose bumps at the frigid wind as her red hair billowed in streams about her face. She quickly wrapped the articles of clothing in a bundle and placed it in Jenny's arms.

"Ariel…I don't understand…" The older woman stared down at the clothing; feeling as if something ultimate was going to happen.

_I have to go Jenny_ Ariel pointed to herself, then to the waves. _I need to see Eric. _She reached out and clutched one of Jenny's hands, pressing it firmly over her own heart. _Thank you for everything you have done. For showing me things, for helping me, just for everything. I'll miss you. _

Ariel lightly touched Jenny's cheek then turned fully to the ocean. _Come on Scuttle! I've got a boy to kiss. _

"Righto! To action troops!" Scuttle flapped his wings fervidly, kicking up some dry sand in his excitement. "Ariel, grab onto the rope. There you go…Flounder! Get her to that boy as fast as your little fins can take you. I'll take point watch." With a clumsy arch, the seagull took to the skies.

Ariel lifted her legs high, bounding into the icy ocean with a flurry of splashes as she pushed past the strong shore waves. Flounder was right beside her, already tugging at the piece of mast. When the water came to her neck and started to knock her off-balance, Ariel grabbed a hold of the floating timber and allowed herself to be tugged forward by Flounder.

Jenny was shocked further. "Ariel! What are you going? Are you crazy?" She called frantically from the shore, dropping the bundle of clothing Ariel had shed, and running into the shallows herself.

Too late. The girl was already past the second sandbar and headed into deep waters, scanning the horizon frantically for Eric.

* * *

Meanwhile, deep in the Enchanted Forest…

Rumplestiltskin set out his instruments with the upmost care. Even though the clearing was devoid of any large obstructions, he was taking no chances. Not on the day he was finally getting his revenge …

Taking care not to spill, he placed a vial glowing with the essence of magic on a weathered old stump. He strategically plotted a course line then stood at the ready. One clawed hand reached into his coat pockets and withdrew a glowing mollusk shell, the faintest murmur of the song of a siren emanating from within its inner coils. Rumplestiltskin placed the shell on the forest floor and straightened himself to admire his work. Everything was ready…now all he needed was his lure to begin. He retreated to the underbrush and concealed himself with a threadbare cloak from his old days as a humble weaver. Once settled, Rumplstiltskin glanced back towards the clearing and carefully swept his forefinger in a casual flick.

The seashell holding the voice of the mermaid cracked, ever so slightly, and the exquisite melody that emanated from its core rose in volume. It would pull only the magical being that Rumplestiltskin had placed the tracking spell on. Not long now.

"Come to me my dearie," Rumplestiltskin crooned into the darkening late afternoon breeze.

* * *

"Don't worry Ariel" Flounder's words came out strained but determined. "We're going to make it. We're almost there!"

Ariel kept kicking to keep herself a float. The piece of timber was already soaked and was not providing enough buoyancy for her body. She had already gone under the waves multiple times, only to have the brave bass swim under to push her back up to the surface. Swimming as a human was so slow and awkward. Whenever she tried to do a simple tail stroke, she ended up flopping like a dead fish. The only swimming motion that she was able to do was to slide her legs back and forth, as if she was running. That of course made no sense, running in water, but it was all she could capable of for now. They were in treacherous waters with winds and waves that would have been threatening even if Ariel had her tail. As she and Flounder kept swimming, Ariel was painfully aware of a high-pitched buzzing in her inner ears that signaled an impending sea storm.

_Eric where are you? _Ariel thought hopelessly as she spat out yet another mouthful of salt water.

Flounder was also tiring but the brave sea bass tried to not show it. His lateral lines were on fire, allowing him to detect the distinct movement of the rowboat out on the sea. Fish with their super-sensitive nerve line are able to tell individual movements in the water. Flounder was now using this ability now to find Eric so he felt, rather than saw, the boat first.

It was Eric! In his skiff. Bailing out another bucketful of water, Eric did not notice Ariel and the fish swimming up to him at first. Flounder pulled the timber right up to the boat, making sure he saw Ariel grab the side before letting go of the rope. She clutched to the flank so tightly her knuckles turned white. The thrashing sea threatened to tug her away, but she continued to cling with weak arms.

_Eric! _Ariel opened her mouth to call to him but the only sound was the winds and tossing waves.

Just as she was slipping, her tired hands unable to hold onto the wet boards, a strong grip folded around both her arms. Eric had grabbed a hold of her and quickly pulled her over the sides of the boat. She was so exhausted she could only huddle in a pathetic crouch on the floor of the skiff, her stiff arms clutching her shaking sides.

"Ariel! Are you alright?" Eric quickly shed his oilskin and gently tucked it around Ariel. It was still warm from his body and Ariel felt immensely grateful. Her own body shook with cold and she could not stop her blue lips from trembling no matter how hard she tried. The boat tipped haphazardly with the rocking ocean, occasionally tipping enough to let some water in.

"What are you doing out here?" Eric leaned in and put his strong arms around Ariel's shivering wet form, her long hair soaking his dark-colored tunic.

"You didn't come back…I thought for sure those knights had taken you and thrown you into a dungeon or something." Eric continued to hold Ariel, stroking her head as if to reassure him that she was really there. "Ariel, how did you come to be out here? Did you come looking for me?"

_Eric stop it! _Ariel tried to keep on track of things. She desperately pulled out of the warm embrace, even though she hated to end it, and clutched his hand. _We are in the ocean, the sun is about to set, the storm is about to hit and I need you to…_

She fervidly gestured towards the clustering cumulonimbus clouds, opened her hands wide to suggest an explosion, then lowered her hands and wiggled her fingers to show an onslaught of rain.

"The storm? Is that what you're worried about? You came out here because you thought I was in danger?" he chuckled in the same tone his mother usually used when she thought his imagination was a little too wild. "Ariel, I know how to handle myself in a storm." He gently pushed a strand of her hair from over her eyes.

_Well… that's not just why I'm here._ But her thoughts trailed off as she suddenly, inexplicitly felt very shy. It had seemed like a good idea at the time: swim out to Eric and then somehow convince him to kiss her. But now that she was here, she felt a very annoying sense of reluctance. As she looked bashfully down at her knees, she felt his gentle hand under her chin, lifting her face until their eyes met.

"You don't know how brave and beautiful you really are," he whispered with a warm smile as he lightly stroked her cheek with his thumb.

Ariel swallowed hard and leaned forward, shoulders hunching in shame. _Oh Eric, if only you knew! I ran away from my family, I made a deal with the devil, and then I ran away again. I'm not brave and I will never be a good mermaid…_

A single tear created a salt-streak down her miserable face. It dropped with barely a plop into a crack in the bottom of the boat… slide fully into the water…then created a ripple that surged silently far down into the deepest depths, invisible to all eyes save for one species…

Ariel saw the magical swell spread out like a damning beacon out of the corner of her eye. She suddenly realized what it meant. _What have I done?_

But all Eric saw with his eyes was her. "Ariel you came out here to save me. You are the craziest, most amazing girl I have ever met," his voice said with confidence, the words easily coming. He cupped his wet hands around Ariel's cold cheeks, leaning closer to her. Gazing at this girl, this wonderful girl, Eric felt something magical filling his heart.

He struggled for the words, struggled to say what he needed to say. "And I think I love you," he said it finally.

If there was one thing he could have said that shook her out of her sense of urgency, it was that. This time when she leaned in she embraced him too, hoping to show all she could not say with her voice. Her arms went around his neck while his own arms pressed against the small of her back. She inhaled his sweet scent while they folded into each other, completely content in each other's embrace. Eric was holding her so tightly she felt as if she was sinking into an abyss, but she did not want to swim away. As a matter of fact, she wished not to ever leave his arms, ever again.

Finally they pulled back a little, arms still around each other. His face was glowing with happiness and his eyes were joyful, and shining. "I do love you Ariel."

This time, she smiled back at him for his words had filled her with the warmth of an new but wonderful emotion. _And I think love you._ She took a deep, unsteady breath_. I doubted if mermaids were even capable of love...none of my kind has loved before...but now..._

As if he knew her doubts, Eric reassuredly pressed his warm forehead against hers and she was suddenly very aware of how near he was. Her heart fluttered when she saw his eyes over her own, felt his warm breath on her cheeks, and heard his heart rhythmically resounding in his strong chest. She froze, caught up in the heat of the moment. And then he put his hands into her wet hair, his lips just barely over her own...

But then…just as he began to deepen into a kiss, Ariel's cold fingers tenderly placed themselves over his mouth, gently pushing him away.

Ariel had come to a decision. By coming out here she had put his life in danger, something bad was coming. She had to save him, no matter what the cost. She did not understand this urge to let go, to forgo any chance of her safety. But she cared about this boy, Eric, in a way that she had ever thought possible, and she did not want to see him die.

Eric quickly lowered his hands from around Ariel's head, feeling his heart crushing with shame at her rejection. How could he be so stupid? He felt his face start to sting so he hung his head, trying to not reveal his sorrow.

"Ariel if you don't feel the same way…I understand if you don't want…" Eric stumbled on the words, seeing Ariel's unhappiness and misinterpreting the cause.

Ariel cupped his own face into her small hands, her determination to push him away gone in an instant. _No Eric! It's not that at all, it's just…_

The stability of the boat underneath the two young people was suddenly yanked from underneath them. Ariel was jarred so hard she fell into Eric's arms.

"What was that?" Eric could not fathom the cause. They were a few miles offshore and well away from any submerged reefs or shoals. He had not been worried about the water because he was well aware of the ability of his sturdy boat; the small pooling on the bottom was not cause for concern just yet.

But Ariel knew the source. _I hope I am wrong. _She glanced up at the sun, just barely peaking over the horizon in a brilliant display of a fiery sunset. _Almost there…just hold on a little longer…_

Suddenly, the entire boat flipped as if shoved by a great force and Ariel and Eric both went head-first into the icy ocean.

Ariel remembered the sensation of drowning all too well from the time Rumplestiltskin had first transformed her mermaid fin into legs. She felt the same panic well up again as the water crashed over her, her beloved ocean betraying her now in its ferocity. But only for a second… then the intense flashes of pain made her forget all about the fear of drowning…

When the boat tipped over Eric had not lost himself to panic; he was, after all, a fisherman's son, and not some clueless knight. Kicking his boots off, he calmly grabbed a hold of the upturned skiff with one arm and wrapped the other around Ariel. Eric struggled to keep her head above the raging waves, but he had a firm grip on her shoulders and would not be letting go for the entire world. He pushed Ariel with all his might towards the upturned skiff, determined to somehow get her on top of it. But for some reason, she was fighting him. Yanking and jerking in his arms. As if she wanted to go deeper into the water…

"Ariel! Ariel come on…what is…" His shouting easily cut through the wind and waves. But then suddenly, he noticed a strange orange glow rising from watery depths. No it was not under him… it was under Ariel.

_What the…_? he was very confused. This was his last thought before something powerfully strong grabbed his leg and suddenly pulled him under water.

Eric felt as if his heart would rupture from terror as he was yanked down into a dark abyss, bubbles swirling all around his body, all light disappearing as the water closed in over him. The temperature plummeted and the pressure pushed painfully as he went deeper. He kept kicking and reaching with his arms towards the surface, but to no avail. Whatever force had a hold of him was not letting go.

He started to recognize the bodily symptoms of drowning: black spots dancing in front of his eyes, his lungs curling in an agonizing scream. For one sickening moment he realized this was how he was going to die, drowned in the ocean he had always been so comfortable on. Before he even had a chance to kiss Ariel. Then…just as he felt his mind go blank and his sight fade to darkness, he felt something soft pressing against his lips. Forcing air into him. Breathing for him. Giving him life. There was a pause, and suddenly the whole world seemed to be moving all around at once. There was a deafening _whoosh_ in both ears and he was blearily aware of the sensation of being lifted, dragged back towards the surface.

He managed to open his eyes just a slit. It was Ariel! He felt her cold, soft lips over his again, putting air into his lungs. She held him so close and so tightly they were completely meshed. Disoriented as he was, Eric forced himself to concentrate on feeling her kiss him. Her strong arms, her steady heartbeat, and her powerful legs propelling both of them upward towards the surface. Odd though…it felt as if her legs were moving in unison as if…

The two teenagers burst out of the water with a large splash, salt water droplets flying everywhere. A cascade of colors suddenly filled Eric's eyes as he energetically inhaled the sweet _sweet_ air of the surface world. The sun had set and the ocean was awash with the mellow twilights of orange, purple, yellow, red…_As red as Ariel's hair_ he thought in his groggy state. Deprived of oxygen for so long, it took Eric a little while to realize that he was floating in the bumpy ocean, held in a vice-like grip by small hands on his shirt. Under the water, a strange mass lightly touch his dangling bare feet; something large, scaly, and powerful.

"Ariel watch out! There is something underneath us." He tried to kick the thing away.

Ariel did not move, did not even blink, just stared at him. Stared so hard she almost looked terrified.

Held securely in her arms as he was, Eric felt her lower half shifting underneath to keep them both a float. As the scaly mass brushed against his legs again, Eric finally glanced downward and saw. _Really _saw. Right under her navel the skin changed into shiny emerald scales with fins running down the outside of Ariel's legs. No…there were no legs… there was a long, gorgeous, powerful tail. The tail of a fish…_She's a mermaid_!

Ariel continued to look at Eric, her eyes warily searching his face as water dripped off her eyelashes. It was like she was waiting for him to say something, _anything_!. But then again, he realized he was staring at her rudely with his mouth wide open. He quickly shut it, cursing himself for his thoughtlessness. Of all the reasons he had considered of for her silence, her oddities, and her wonderfulness…_this_ had never occurred to him.

"You're a…a…," he stammered. "Ariel this is incredible…" The last statement was so soft; it might have been an unheard whisper.

But Ariel saw something behind Eric that distracted her from listening too hard. A dark, familiar-looking mass had risen out of the sea, the remaining light from the receding sunset illuminating golden-yellow hair. She frantically glanced around as more dark shapes emerged from the depths, inching closer with a feral hunger illuminating in their savage eyes.

_No no no no _Ariel really started to panic as she twisted and turned, looking around. She could not possibly fight off all of them. _This cannot be happening, not when we're so close…_

But it was. Floating in the same ocean as the two teenagers was the entire pod of mermaid sisters Ariel had abandoned. None looked remotely pleased to see her, and none spoke a single word as they continued to stare with terrifying, ravenous expressions.

Eric saw the women in the water and he made the connection right away. He was no fool; he could tell that something was wrong by the expression on Ariel's face and the look in the eyes of the other mermaids. Helpless as he was, Eric wrapped one arms securely around Ariel's shoulders, trying to convey his support. "I'm not leaving you," he whispered urgently.

Ariel felt her heart leap with gratitude, then just as suddenly sink with dread. A final dark mass had risen out of the sea, right in front of her and Eric. This one was bigger…_much_ bigger. A large-bosomed woman with short silver hair emerged, her massive arms trailing over her wide stomach. But that was not the worst of it. Instead of a beautiful fish tail, the fiend's lower half morphed into that of a huge, black octopus, tentacles swaying and creeping all around. Two moral eels dangled from the woman's thick trunk of a neck, draping around her as if they were some kind of deranged stole. Ariel swallowed hard, her fear welling up even further. So _this _was the new queen of her mermaid pod. Marina had been a pacified, generously-kind little guppy compared to the sea witch. Ariel gripped even tighter to Eric's shirt, her blue eyes wide with fear and disbelief.

"So…you're back now little mermaid." Ursula's silver hair flowed in time with the wind, as if she were its mistress commanding with her steely voice. Her tentacles twisted and turned as she faced the mermaid, baiting her with her mocking tones. "I've been wondering…I'm sure you've quite a tale to tell me."

The evil sea witch reached out and hooked a long-nailed finger underneath Ariel's jaw, pushing her head up to an uncomfortable angle. Ariel forced herself not to wince at the feeling of the talon piercing the delicate skin under her chin.

"And you're going to tell me _everything_ little mermaid"

* * *

**So there it is. I know this chapter had a lot going on and I do apologize for the extra length, but it begged to be written this way :) ****Sorry to leave you at a cliff but rest assured, I plan on telling more of the story as it continues to unfold in my imagination! **

**If you liked it, pretty pretty please review! **


	9. Chapter 9

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney.**

**Chapter 9**

"I told you dearie, I had all the time in the world."

Blue knew her struggles were in vain but she could not help to try, yet again. She twisted around and shifted her shoulders. The magic net tightened its hold on her, but she was able to fold her fingers over the fairy wand tucked into her glittering belt. She tried to pull it free, but her elbows could not move any further.

Rumplestiltskin's sharp, reptilian-like eyes did not miss her subtle movement. Reaching over a clawed hand, he delicately plucked the wand from the fairy's belt using only two digits. He twirled the article with amusement in front of the fairy's eyes. At her full height he was able to stare her down, make her cringe at his face.

"Oh I see…" he taunted the Blue Fairy with his sneering tone. "You thought to escape. Well, no magic but mine is powerful enough to break that net dearie. Made from the hair of trolls, cost me a small fortune but when you weave straw into gold…" He trailed off, clearly enjoying his moment.

Blue was furious at herself. She had been a fairy worker for many human lifetimes but had somehow managed to get lured into a trap by the evil Dark One. That mermaid song that he'd used…so beautiful…it had been impossible to resist.

She had heard the melody just as she was leaving the home of a young tavern owner whose first-born was in need of some healing. The young one had foolishly eaten some poisoned toadstools. After performing a quick healing spell, offering some advice on further recover, Blue had glided off into the night. But then…she shifted directions when the song came. Right into this elaborate trap of the Dark One. The magically woven net had descended upon her, trapping her in her full-size and unable to move.

_How in the name of all that is good did he get a hold of a mermaid's voice? _The feat impressed even her. None could resist the pull, the need to get closer to the sound, not even the head fairy herself. It was a dangerous magic to have on the surface world.

_This will not go unpunished! _Blue grimaced as the net seemed to shrink further. Still, even as the situation seemed hopeless Blue had the sense to still her fear. After all, she did have an era of training and there was no way she would show fear to this monster.

While her face remained impassive and calm, her voice rose with passion and her dazzling purple eyes flashed angrily. "You may kill me Rumplestiltskin, but that will not help your cause. You will never get your son back if you continue to rely upon dark magic. You have already lost him."

Rumplestiltskin lovingly stroked the lengthy folds of her wand, seemingly ignoring the words of the fairy. "You're right about one thing dearie. Because I've already started to work on that…I _will _get my son back." He pointed the wand directly at Blue's face. "And _you _will pay for taking him away from me."

Blue squared her shoulders and glared defiantly at the face of the monster. As head fairy, there was no way she was going to beg. "I did _not _take your son…you drove him away. You are as unfit a parent as any I have ever seen." She knew that this was foolish talk, but her own sense of self-righteousness prevented her from shutting her mouth. "Baelfire is better off without you!"

Rumplestiltskin stopped playing with the wand, his claws pausing in mid-stroke, his face contorting into a terrifying fury. "Don't you EVER say his name!" He yelled. But his screams had more ache than fury in them. The fairy had voiced out loud what he had always felt, in the very corner of his heart, and that was guilt. Guilt of his cowardliness, guilt of choosing power over his son. The guilt every parent feels when they know they had failed.

No…this woman…this _thing _had taken his son. And now he had the power to end her for good. Raising the wand, he pointed it directly in Blue's face. Now, after months of preparation, he was _finally_ getting his revenge.

But Rumplestiltskin made one fatal mistake in his elaborate trap…he failed to notice the newcomer…

A flash of white exploded from the night, knocking right into the fiend. Rumplestiltskin was too surprised to react quickly enough. He fell hard onto the forest floor, losing the wand in the process. It bounced rapidly on the ground, as if taking a life of its own, until it rolled to a stop at the paws of a pure white wolf.

_What the…? _Rumplestiltskin wrinkled his brown in confusion as he studied the creature from his position on the ground.

It was by no means an impressive-looking animal. Loose clumps of torn fur hung from its thin frame. The wolf was limping and its fur was darkened with old blood from crusted wounds. It was obvious the creature was hurt but despite the injuries, it was now growling aggressively at the Dark One. Its bright, golden eyes flashed angrily in the receding glow of the twilight.

The wolf stood perfectly still, glaring harshly at Rumplestiltskin as only a wolf can. She searched the clearing with eyes, ears, and nose for other enemies to attack. Her body quivered slightly, her muscles strained with the shock of what she had just done, the crime she had just committed. Wolves are never supposed to interfere with the affairs of humans. But it had been her choice. This wolf was very aware that the world was more than the hunt and the pack; there was good, and there was evil. And this…_thing_…had been about to do a great evil. She'd had no plan whatsoever when she went flying into the clearing, just that she could not watch the Blue Fairy get killed.

The wolf stood still in the darkness, a white mass against the dark outline of the Enchanted Forest at night. She sniffed the air and stiffened in disgust at what she derived from Rumplestiltskin's scent. Cruelty, cowardice, lack of empathy, lust for power. Forbidden as it was, she knew what she was called to do. She was after all…_different_.

* * *

"I asked you a question darling." Ursula's sweet voice masked her childish impatience.

Her head jutted upward as it was, Ariel could not move to explain her muteness. Eric was still in her arms, held as tightly as she could, so she could not even gesture. Ursula pushed her nail a little harder and Ariel felt a trickle of blood leak down her neck.

"Stop that!" Eric thrashed forward and pushed the sea witch's arm away.

"Well, well. This one is quite a catch little mermaid." Ursula grabbed Eric's chin and peered into his stormy grey eyes, noting the fury and passion. "I'll forgive him that little audacity, so long as you're willing to share the meal."

_No!_ Ariel shook her head hurriedly and yanked Eric away from the clutches of the evil one, wrapping her thin arms protectively around him. There was no way in hell she was going to let them eat him. No way.

"Although…if you do not tell me right now where you got those nice-looking limbs Flotsam saw you with, I might just be tempted to keep your prize for myself." Ursula stroked the top of one of her eels as lovingly as a mother does her first-born babe. The creature's ghoulish face stared fixatedly at Ariel with its one good eye and the creepy fish leer sent a shiver through her.

Despite her fear, Ariel refused to let go of Eric. She had forgone the true love's kiss that could have made her human to save his life. Her tear, like a beacon in the dark abyss, had called to the mer-kind. It was all her fault he was in danger now. _My fault._ So much for her plan of dragging him back to shore.

"How did this happen to you!?" Ursula was clearly losing her patience.

"Leave her alone. Can't you see she can't talk?" Eric snapped.

Eric was no fool. He could clearly see that the strange octopus-woman was the leader of this pod, certainly more menacing that any other sea creature he had ever seen. He glanced at Ariel out of the corner of his eye. Her eyes were lowered, head bowed in submission, and thin shoulders slumped. While her small hands still clutched his shirt with iron strength, she looked like she just wanted to curl up and disappear. Despite the dire situation, Eric felt angry at the sea witch for making Ariel feel so humiliated.

"Cannot talk? Well… that could be a problem." Ursula tapped her double chin with one long, blood-red painted fingernail. "And how, may I ask, did you come to lose your voice and gain legs in one gesture? Just mouth a name and that'll be enough."

Ariel glanced around again, taking in the crowd of onlookers glaring down at her, and then lowered her eyes submissively again. She would not answer that, it was too shameful. Ursula made a move that she knew would get an answer out of the little mermaid.

"Take him!"

The two mermaids Coral and Aqua jolted forward, grabbing Eric with brutal strength. Ariel fought to keep a hold of him but then felt her own arms yanked behind her. The two teenagers were separated, straining with all of their might to reach each other, but to no avail.

Ariel thrashed, jerked, and yanked but her sister Chloe had a tight hold of her. A strong hand caught her hair, stretching out her throat so that it was dangerously exposed. Still she could not make a sound.

"Let's just see about this shall we?" Ursula whispered dangerously, leaning in so close Ariel felt her cold breath against her own cheek.

The sea witch leaned backwards and nodded to Lena, one of the older mermaids. Lena's dark lips curled into a nightmarish smile as she flung her long dreadlocks back. Ariel's sister was known as one of the worst killers of the sea. She grabbed and lifted Ariel slightly out of the water by the loose front of her undershirt. Her long fangs gleamed a deathly white against her darker skin, right in front of Ariel's eyes. "Answer your queen 'little mermaid'," she said sweetly, "Tell her all. Tell her how you abandoned your family and betrayed your kind." She shook Ariel hard, ripping the shirt a little.

Ariel could stand it no longer, she absolutely hated that nickname "little mermaid". Her rage pushed her into do something rash. She jerked one arm out of Chloe's grip and drove her hand down the side of Lena's cheek. Like her incisors, her nails had sharpened considerably. Blood streaks appeared on her sister's flawless mermaid features.

Lena screeched and lifted her still higher with only one hand. With the other hand, she hurled a cuff directly into Ariel's face. Since she was held up by her neckline this prevented Ariel from ducking. So she took it, and then sagged face first into the water. _Gods, what a blow._ She slumped and tried to reign in her breathing as her vision slowly cleared.

Eric roared with fury. He was madly struggling against his captors, trying to come to her aid, but was held too firmly by the two other mermaids. Even in her semi-conscious state Ariel was aware of his attempts and also that they were futile. He was enraged beyond all reason, but Ariel would not let him attempt suicide. She stared back at him, eyes wide as she shook her head.

_Do nothing! _She commanded with her face, feeling herself trembling. _I'm alright. _

She tried to calm herself, even managing a shaky smile for Eric's sake. His face was furious, but he had the sense to listen to her and settled a bit. She spat blood from her mouth and watched fascinated while it diluted into the sea water. Lena leaned forward and slapped her again. Not nearly as hard as before but enough to make her ears ring a little. Her gleaming face told Ariel her sister was enjoying this. As Lena raised her arm again, Ariel cringed and tried desperately to shrink away.

"Enough!" Ursula said smiling. "There is truth in this after all. Not a single sound…" she mused softly to herself. "This could be useful to me…" She shifted her gaze away, with an almost dream-like expression. The octopus-woman was silent for moment, as though pondering over this unexpected good-fortune.

Lena floated closer and Ariel had the grime satisfaction of seeing her sister's newly-marred face up close. "Come now little mermaid" Lena said soothingly, putting her hand on Ariel's arm. "You have a lot to share with your queen." She floated towards Eric and started to stroke the side of his cheek with a talon. "We'll just quickly finish our meal and then leave you to it. Unless you were planning on eating him yourself?"

The matter-of-fact tone in her calm voice was what drove Ariel out of her fear. She could shrink back as she had always done, allow her sisters to have their way like before, and no one would think any less of her. A simple nod of her head and she would likely be spared. But that was _not _happening. Ariel shook her head rapidly. She had to protect Eric. She took advantage of Chloe's momentary surprise by yanking out of her grasp, then pushing herself towards Eric. Ariel's small form, her chin lifted fearless, placed itself between Lena and Eric.

_I will kill you all before I let you have him_ she threatened them in her mind.

The other mermaids drew back a little, looking at her in surprise. This was the first time any of them had ever seen Ariel even remotely stand up to them. Seeing that she had the upper hand for the moment, Ariel pressed her luck a little more. She whipped around and punched Aqua in the mouth. Her knuckles split open as they made contact with one of her sister's fangs. Eric slipped out of her grip then elbowed Coral in the face, surprising Ariel with his fast movement. He was a great swimmer.

She felt her mind flood with hope. _Maybe we can get out of this together_! she thought.

Ariel thrust herself forward with a flick of her tail, and then re-grabbed Eric. He had sunk briefly into the water after Coral had let go but now he wrapped his arms around Ariel's thin shoulders gratefully. She spun around, desperately looking for a way to swim away when she paused.

A half-dozen more mermaids stared her and Eric down. Ursula had summoned the rest of the pod. The light of full moon reflected in their eyes, shining in the darkness of the night. One came forward, and Ariel saw a cold smile that was the stuff of ever sailor's worst nightmares.

The mermaid pointed to her. "You choose a human over your own kind. You are even more a traitor than we thought."

Ariel cringed and turned, not knowing where to flee, but Eric spoke up. "Leave her alone. If it's me you want then take me, but don't hurt Ariel."

Lena laughed hard, showing off her perfect teeth. "My my, what courage, threatening us with your puny human flesh. This from the weakest mermaid in sea. Weak and cowardly."

Ariel stiffened with rage, her face split with fury. _I am not that mermaid anymore!_

With all reason overwhelmed by her anger, Ariel advanced on Lena, lunging out clumsily as Eric slid out of her arms. She made an eel-like turn around her sister's back, and then her fangs found a vulnerable target. The teeth slashed, opening up the flesh at the connecting shoulder blade. This attack was out of fury so it was less calculated than the last desperate attempt at escape, but far more damaging.

Lena shrieked then chopped at Ariel with her tail. Ariel leaped clear with her own tail, moving fast. She pulled back, then twisted and lunged at another mermaid. As she coiled around her prey underwater, she felt the fiery passion of battle-mode take over her mind. Maddened by her fury, she thought of only one thing-_take them down!_ She did not try to kill her sister, but instead stunned her with a quick blow to the head in an elbow jab. She uncoiled herself, then drove forward like a striking snake, right into another mermaid. The woman gave an unearthly screech, swung her arm upward, and then bashed a fist repeatedly against Ariel's unprotected back. Ariel pushed herself away, twisting herself underwater to gain momentum, and then lunged without a sound towards the remaining group.

But Ursula's tentacles were faster. Grabbing Ariel by both wrists she flung her back into Chloe's clutches. As Ariel fell, she saw Eric trying to twist out of Ursula's other tentacles, barely avoiding the snap from the eel dangling from her neck. But then he got caught too; Coral wound her upper arm around his neck and held him in a choke hold. He grabbed at her arm, but even his strong fisherman hands were no match for the mermaid's strength.

"A bit more fight in both of you than I would have thought." Ursula snapped. Her dark eyes flashed, betraying her anger. "I'm almost ready to kill you both myself."

Ariel ignored her, sagging in the death grip of her captors. The thought of what the sea witch would do to the both of them before she killed them made her feel a little sick. Still shaking with the intensity of her first battle, Ariel turned her head to gaze at Eric. He was staring right at her.

She was so small with such a sweet temperment that Eric had a hard time believing what he had just seen. The strength of her fish-tail, the fangs, how fast she had moved when she attacked. She had always seemed so gentle, awkward, and shy when she was around him. Completely harmless. And yet, it was still Ariel. The girl he had come to love. Fighting like a maniac.

_Ariel…what the…?_ He could not even say it out loud. _I really should get to know you better now that… _

"The two star-crossed lovers, torn apart by higher circumstances, only to be willing to fight to protect the other. This is all so very romantic. I'm all a flutter." Ursula placed a hand over her large bosom and blinked her eyes rapidly, miming the onslaught of tears that never fell. "_Ttttrrrruuuee_ love at its finest! And between a mermaid and her dinner! Oh I could just…" she dawdled off, all the while dabbing at her cheeks with the end of the tailfin of one of her pet eels. The fish looked as if it would have preferred another prop for the showcasing.

"Tell you what little mermaid. If you cooperate with me in one _teeny_ tiny little endeavor, I will spare the life of your prince here."

Ariel shook her head, glaring upward at Ursula's face. She knew better than to trust the sea witch.

"Very well…I give you my word as a witch, I will not harm your little snack here." Ursula leaned forward and twirled a jet-black lock of Eric's hair in one finger. He tried to jerk away, looking daggers at the woman.

"I'm not leaving her with you!" he spat at Ursula.

The audacity of his statement shocked even Ariel. No human would dare speak in such a manner to the mermaid queen, none that wanted to live anyway.

But Ursula merely threw her head back as she cackled. "Oh you don't have a choice sweetie!"

Ariel brought her emerald tail up to splash Ursula's back with water, trying to get her attention. It was not as though she could call out. The queen twisted back and favored her with a semi-interested glance.

_I'll do as you say. Just let him go. _Ariel mouthed the words and nodded once. It was all she could do.

"Very well…" Ursula slid forward in the water, close enough that her fat cheeks touched Ariel's ear as she leaned forward. Ariel forced herself not to cringe. "Tell me who it was that took your voice and I will find a way to bring it back. Then…you will tell me all you know about the magic that did this to you."

Ariel grimaced. She would have to explain about the Dark One. She refused to look at Ursula, instead her pleading eyes sought Eric's. What would he think of her, after he found out? Ariel had never hated herself more than she did now.

_This isn't how things were supposed to be_. Ariel shook her head, her expression distant. _I'm so sorry Eric. _

She hung her head, acknowledging her defeat and her soft lips formed the accursed-one's name. _Rumplestiltskin._

"Indeed? You made a deal with the Dark One himself? That is impressive, even for you. Now let's see about getting that beautiful voice of yours back so I can get to the bottom of this." Ursula turned to the west, and started reciting an incantation.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin was hopping mad. And by hopping he really was hopping…trying to dodge the snapping jaws of the wolf. The ragged beast snarled again as Rumpestiltskin crept on hands and knees towards the discarded fairy's wand. If he could just reach it, he could turn the thrice-cursed beast into a toad or a…

As silent as a white shade, the wolf pounced. Oddly enough, instead of going for his throat it arched gracefully over Rumplestiltskin, landing without a sound behind him. He was not her aim.

Throughout the brief fight, Blue had continued to struggle in her restraints. She was unaware what good graces had led a white wolf to her aid, but she did not question it. However when the creature landed in front of her, padding as silently as a cat, she was a bit startled. Was it going to tear her a part? Lashed into a net as she was, defense would be nearly impossible.

Instead, the jaws of the animal snapped over a corner of the net and began to tug aggressively.

"No no little wolf…" Blue whispered hurriedly. "You cannot hope to free me in that way. The wand! Get the glowing stick!"

As if by magic (of course that might have been it), the benevolent creature understood. Rounding backwards, the white wolf pounced again at Rumplestiltskin. He had just managed to grab the article off of the ground and roll onto his back, sending a force of magic right at the animal with the fairy wand. The ball of energy smacked right into the wolf, skidded her across the ground, right into a tree. The wolf barely had time to get her feet under her before another force was right upon her. She scampered off into the dark underbrush.

"Gotcha!" Rumplestiltskin cackled triumphantly, but then saw something that made him pause.

The magical sea shell holding the song of the mermaid, the one thing that had enabled this trap to even work, had been knocked aside by the flying wolf and now lay shattered on the forest floor. A purple mist transpired upward, emanating the most glorious sounds of Ariel's voice in a soft, sad melody. Then it began to dissipate, spreading as cooking smoke does, before careening away.

"No! That's mine!" Some magical force was pulling the voice away. Someone was taking what was rightfully his.

While Rumplestiltskin was too distracted by losing the mermaid's voice, the jaws of the wolf suddenly snapped delicately over his fingers holding the wand. Delicately in that two fingers were broken, and not ripped out of their sockets. He spun just in time to see a white flash bowl towards where the Blue Fairy was still secured.

"NNNNNOOOOOO!" He screeched and sent another magical pulse forward, not as strong as the last but enough to really hurt the accursed, interfering animal. His right hand was awash with pain and this added intensity to his already overwhelming fury.

But the white wolf was more intelligent than he would have thought. The animal thrust it's head forward, throwing the wand right into the waiting hand of the Blue Fairy, then was knocked sideways into a boulder where it lay stunned.

Rumplestiltskin raised his arms to dealt another blow, but then was thrust off his feet by a magical pulse similar to his own. Blue was free and she was as mad as a fairy can be.

"You Rumplestiltskin…are the most deplorable of all creatures! A true monster." The fairy fluttered overhead in her smaller, less-vulnerable form. Her holier-than-thou tone was so annoying, Rumplestiltskin would gladly have given up most of his powers just to be able to wipe that arrogant look off her face.

"However…I will let you live. I only hope that you can learn to let go. Killing me would not have ended your pain." Blue glided upward, into the starlit canopy. Rumplestiltskin forced himself up onto his feet and attempted to stab at the flying fairy with his dagger.

"No! Get back here!" He screamed into the night. All these weeks of hard work, perfecting his stun potion, weaving the net, trading the mermaid's voice, were they all for naught?

_That wolf!_ He whipped around to where he had seen the creature last, lying stunned against the boulders. A blur of white was bounding with graceful leaps into the dark interior of the Enchanted Forest. The wolf was getting away. Rumplestiltskin sent another magical pulse hurling towards the beast, even though he knew that it was too far away to do much damage. He did get the grim satisfaction of hearing a small yelp of pain and rustle of foliage as the wolf got caught in the force, and stumbled.

And then…it was suddenly over. The Dark One was left, all alone, standing in a clearing with nothing but a shattered mollusk shell to show for his efforts at getting revenge on the Blue Fairy for taking his son with that magic bean. The siren's song, the one form of magic none one but he possessed, was gone.

Rumplestiltskin turned towards the east, in the direction he saw the voice-mist traverse. Someone or _something _else had interfered this night. Taken what was right fully his. His fury echoed in his shouts, "That was MINNEEE! I paid for it!"

He had not expected an answer, he really did not. But as he turned away, making preparations for teleporting himself back to his castle, he could have sworn he heard a high-pitch cackle resound over the breeze in the trees and the other night sounds. A snicker from someone, _something _as evil as he.

_That is what you get…for thinking that you could make a bargain with a creature of the sea._ The voice of the sea witch echoed lightly over the tree tops of the Enchanted Forest.

* * *

Ariel was angry. She could feel the heat of it flushing red into her cheeks, tainting her attempt at a proud, stoic expression of defiance. She had given the accursed sea witch the name she wanted. Why had she not let Eric go?

"Not just yet," Ursula said, wielding a piece of orange coral Ariel recognized as coming from the bottom of the sea. "First, I want to explain the consequences here."

She spoke as if to a child, in the same condescending tone as all of her sisters. Ariel wanted nothing more than to snap the neck of one of her precious eels, just to see her arrogant leer gone.

"_Memoria cylindricus_," Ursula said, lifting the piece of coral to Ariel's nose. "The more exotic kind. I hope you notice the difference."

_I don't really care_ Ariel answered in her mind. She glared as only a teenager does to an annoying older adult.

"No, of course not." Ursula played with the coral, twisting it in her blood-red talons. "This will do nicely for what I have planned for your prince. You see dear…" she trailed off, stripping the outer exoskeleton of the coral with her nails. "This particular growth of _Memoria_ has some interesting qualities. Ah, yes…you know something about it after all?"

Ariel was immediately alarmed. _No no no no…you can't possibly mean to…_

"Since you decided to leave us and live amongst the humans, there can only be one consequence to those actions." Here, she rounded back towards Eric. He was doing a much better job at stilling his face, hiding his anxiety by only showing contempt. Ariel's heart ached for she knew what the sea witch was planning and could not stop it.

"I will spare his life, but I will also wipe away his memories. No mortal should be aware of our potential to group, to think, and to command the elements. It would be the end of mer-kind forever. They think of us as mindless monsters as they are, and so we shall remain 'mindless'."

_You don't know that. Not all humans are monsters. They would not slaughter us. _Ariel was jerking in the arms of her captor like mad, trying to prevent the inevitable.

"Of course…this also means that he will not remember you. Not a single memory of the times you two spent together." Ursula glanced over her shoulder at Ariel. "Did you really think that you could have a life up here little mermaid? That you would be anything other than a freak to him? You're half-fish and half-girl; you're not one or the other. He cannot love you." She snapped.

"I DO LOVE HER!"

All the mermaid's eyes flew to him and Eric questioned if it would have been better he not admit his feelings, he did not want the mermaid's taking out their anger on Ariel. When he glanced over at her, he saw that her deep blue eyes were wide with surprise. Ridiculous as it was, his first fear was that he had offended her and began to think himself a very big idiot. But she did not look insulted, she looked…maybe a little…hopeful? Strengthened by this and feeling more confident, he glared back at the sea witch who seemed to be scoffing at what she had just heard.

"Ooooo…so brave." Ursula slid a blank tentacle forward and wrapped it tightly around Eric's neck. "We'll see about that…humans always talk about the power of ttttrrrrrue love_. _Let's see what true love can do about _this_!"

She shoved the coral piece forward under Eric's nose. Since her tentacle was wrapped around his neck, Eric could not turn his head away and was forced to inhale the bitter odor. Ariel tried to scream out a protest but nothing left her throat. Eric's eyes rolled to the back of his head, and then he was out.

Ariel strained to swim to him, sobbing and sobbing. Her trembling lips folding over her fangs as they receded into her gums. _He won't remember me. I'll never see him again and even if I do, he won't know who I am. He won't remember me._

"Quite your crying weakling!" Lena was back. She added insult to injury and slapped Ariel across the face. Ariel barely felt the sting.

"That's enough you!" Ursual glared angrily at the mermaid. With reluctance, Lena bowed her head complacently. "The effects will not be complete until he reaches land. Surface dwellers are more affected when reaching their own territory. Just so that any of you are not tempted to take a chunk out of him, I'll send him back myself."

Eric was starting to come to. Ariel saw his eyes flutter and then ease open a slit. _Eric! Are you alright? _

"Ah ha! Here it comes now." Ursula and the entire pod glanced upward.

Ariel's voice was returning. A glowing purple mist had appeared over the pod, hovering like a thin coverlet stretched over the black waters. It hesitated for one agonizing second, then began to slowly condense upon itself and slid towards Ariel. She stood still knowing something, not quite what, but something important had to be done. She could not just let the sea witch win.

Ariel tried frantically to think of a way to get out of the arms that held her fast, to escape just enough to get closer to Eric and try to break the _Memoria_ spell. She realized it would probably never work; she just did not have enough time. But she had to try. Her back pressed up against her sister's chest went rigid and her fists clenched hard. She tried to relax, to throw her sister off guard, so that she could try something crazy. Luckily, Chloe was still distracted by watching Ursula perform magic that she did not notice Ariel tensing up.

The magic of Ariel's voice slid fully into her throat. It filled her up with warmth, strength, hope, and understanding all in one gesture. She was whole again. Like a wave of the warmest clarity, Ariel knew what had to be done. She didn't know how she knew, she just did. But she had to move fast…

Ursula wound up both her arms and prepared to shove them forward, sending Eric on a wayward return-trip back to the shoreline. In a flash of scales and splashes, Ariel pushed out of Chloe's grasp, flung her arms around Eric's neck and kissed him. Kissed him very hard. There was an unbearably wonderful softness to his lips that she had never noticed before. And he tasted so _good_, like the sweetest, most amazing fruit from the surface world.

Despite the desperate situation, Ariel found herself caught up in the passion of the kiss, sliding her hand up the back of Eric's neck to hold him closer. _Gods! Why didn't I do this sooner? _Her thoughts were relentless with the need to explore his lips further. She opened her mouth wider to deepen the kiss but was rudely interrupted.

Lena shrieked and yanked her back by her hair, nearly snapping her neck in the process. "How _dare _you!" Ariel received a hard blow to the ribs, and was only semi-aware of being thrust under the water by more whacking mermaid tails.

_Did it work? _She pushed herself back to the surface. Her throat tightened when she did not see any recognition in his half-closed eyelids. _It didn't work. _

But Eric had felt the kiss. Distorted with dizziness, his muddled mind did not fully register whence it had come from but he did know that it had been there. Something was pulling him back from the swirling dark chasm that his mind had slipped in. No…not something…_someone. _Someone he knew very well. Someone he…_loved_? Then, it felt like a great force shoved into his chest. He gasped, choked, and tried to hold his breath as the waves closed around him. He was taking an involuntary trip back to shore. The salty sea spray flew into his eyes, so he squeezed them shut, but just before he disappeared he heard a voice. The most beautiful voice in the whole Enchanted Forest.

"ERIC!" It was the first word she had spoken in over three months. She called out over the crowd of mermaids surrounding her, pushing her back into the depths with their tails. "ERIC I LOVE YOU TOO!"

But it was too late. He was swept out of sight…and he never saw her. The blackness closed around his eyes and he knew no more.

* * *

***Note: **_**Memoria cylindricus**_**is derived from **_**Dendrogyra **__**cylindricus**_** which is a species of hard, pillar coral found in the Caribbean Sea. To my knowledge, it does not have any memory-losing properties. **

**An intense chapter I know :) and the next one is even more exciting, so be prepared! Good reviews are Christmas presents from all my readers!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney. **

**Chapter 10**

The early morning tide gently folded over the sandy shore, again and again in it never-ending ebb and flow. The sea foam ticked her fins pleasantly but the teenager did not pause to relish in the sensations. This was the second occasion in her long lifetime she had stumbled onto a shore, under unconventional circumstances. No matter how many times though, it never got any easier.

She pulled herself slowly forward, moving as a seal does out of water. After leaving the shallows, Ariel twisted her body and lifted her remarkable emerald tail out of the water, placing it on the dry sand just shy of the last of the water lines. The scales sank into her flesh and the fins faded away and now, a half-naked teenager lay on the sand. With a surprising sense of dignity, Ariel slowly stood on her feet. Her bony knees wobbled with the effort and her leg muscles strained to adjust to the sudden shift in weight, but she was on a mission. She lurched away from the waterline, walking with arms outstretched for balance. With every small step he seemed on the verge of falling but she pushed herself hard because she had to learn to walk again, just like when she had first stumbled onto shore three months and a week ago.

Her appearance had changed since that time. Her shining red hair no longer cascaded all the way down her back. It had been unevenly shorn and now covered only her shoulder blades. She was a lot thinner now, her tight skin slightly outlining ribs and collarbone. The slightly bruised lips and healed cut over her left eye still remained as remnants of her first battle.

As Ariel stepped carefully along the sand, her concentration was so much on placing one foot in front of the other she did not notice she had company. Poor company.

Ariel was jerked to the side, one arm twisted behind her back in a black knight's grip as the rest of the troop surrounded her. The weather-beaten, scored face of another guard loomed before her, only inches above her own face. A heavy gauntlet patted the top of her head gently. "We finally found you," the knight said quietly. "You are more trouble than your worth." He almost sounded regretful.

She hissed a reply. The half-dozen burly men bored down upon her, securing her arms behind her back tightly with a strong, corded rope. She bucked, kicked, and even tried to head-butt her way out but one of them slammed his hand into the back of her neck hard. Momentarily stunned, she clenched her eyes and paused in her struggles.

"Enough!"

That voice…it couldn't be. Not here. Ariel blinked her eyes hard, trying to force herself to not believe what her eyes were seeing.

Queen Regina of the Kingdom of King Leopold, a top a magnificent bay stallion, clothed in a regal robe of white wolf skins lined with the dark feathers of ravens. She stared down at Ariel with a cold indifference, looking at her like she was some inferior creature of no consequence.

"My my, you are a hard one to find. And now I understand why," Regina said with an evil chuckle. "You are a mermaid. That explains so much and could be very useful to me now."

Ariel was forced to her knees by a blow to the back of her legs, but she thrust her chin out defiantly. Clenching her fists in the folds of her bonds, she tried to steady her anger and think of a way out of this predicament.

_I just left the pod and now this! _She couldn't help but think. _Why do I have the worst luck? _For once, the laments of a teenager were right on target.

The queen dismounted her steed, arching gracefully with the movement of one who had been around horses since childhood. She swayed over to the teenager, her arrogant features fixated on Ariel's face.

Ariel looked up fiercely at the queen from her knees. She was as beautifully dressed as always in a long, form-fitting dress of black silk embroidered with black roses that brought out her dark eyes. The long cloak draped over her shoulders provided warm as well as intimidation with its ruffled feathers and draping wolf faces with no eyes. Even her gloves were impressive, a starchy white with golden buttons. Ariel's only covering, a tattered stained shirt that hung to her thighs, greatly contrasted with Regina's elegance. The sparkles of scales caught her eyes and Ariel saw on her eye-level that the queen's boots were made of a scaley skin material. Monstrous.

Regina ignored the girl's roving eyes and leaned forward, placing a riding crop underneath her chin. She angled the girl's head upward, forcing the mermaid to look into her dark cold eyes. The blue eyes of the mermaid were as dark and fathomless as the deepest sea, completely dilated with anger or fear. Regina could not tell by her stoic expression.

"Hmmmm, it looks like you have been poorly received by your own kind." Regina noted the bruised face and hacked-apart hair. "Will you not speak? Tell me your name little mermaid?"

_Don't call me that! _Ariel turned her head sharply away from the protruding leather stick, and looked away.

"My my. Such defiance." Regina was completely unfazed. She looked as if she was expecting this reaction. "A strong one like you will do well as one of my cohorts."

_What?! _Ariel glanced back at the queen and narrowed her eyes at the odd statement. That did not sound good.

The queen's men hauled her roughly to her feet, keeping her arms pinned behind her back. She was so much shorter and skinnier than the queen, but she tried to straighten her back and keep her head up. Regina smiled and Ariel saw, even in the half-light of the early morning, the same glint of self-satisfaction in her eyes she'd seen when they'd met at the market.

"You don't say much do you?"

"Please, don't" Ariel quavered.

Regina grinned again. "So you _can _talk," she said. "Well then I'll explain something to you. As a creature of the sea, you have access to forms of magic that are unheard of in the Enchanted Forest. An entirely new world of magic is right under those waves. I've learned over the years to take advantage of any opportunity of power that comes my way."

Ariel breathed in deeply. "Please, Your Majesty. I'm no use to you. I cannot return to the sea."

"A polite teenager," Regina said ironically. "That _is_ unusual."

Ariel was surprise at the ferocity in her own voice as she answered. "What do you want from me? Why are you doing this? Do you delight in causing people _pain_— " She spat out, her desperation rising. "—and hurting others? I only want to be left alone. Is that too much to ask? Even my family does not want me anymore! I have no one. _No one_ wants me."

Her outburst seemed to fully expose the whole frustration and terror from the darkest corner of her soul out into the open. She had been banished by her pod, Eric had been taken away from her, and his memories of all the time she spent with him wiped away like dust. She did not even know if he was alive or dead. Her banishment was on pain of death so now Ariel had nowhere to go other than the surface world. And even that was not safe. Her condition was too weak to fight off a whole troop of veteran armored guards.

"I will not do as you command…"she stammered, trying hard not to betray her exhausted state. "You are evil…a monster. I will not serve you."

"Oh child!" the queen chortled was like cold ice. "Of course you will do as I command you to. Because you see…" she leaned dangerously close to Ariel and whispered as if sharing a secret. "I always…get what I want."

Intuition told her that something bad was about to happen. Ariel strained and tugged.

"Don't move mermaid!" Regina ordered and the black knights tightened their grip on the mermaid's arms behind her back. Her thin chest heaved up and down, heavy with breath. The Evil Queen approached her slowly, hovering her hand over where Ariel's heart pounded mercilessly. The mermaid half-expected the organ to leap right out of her chest and into the waiting hands of the evil woman.

Pain, like ice needles shattering from her heart, overwhelmed her as Regina's hand thrust through Ariel's chest with a sickening suction sound. Ariel saw the arm sticking into her chest and tried to scream, but not enough air was in her lungs. She couldn't breathe. Gods she could not breathe! She gasped as the pain rose up like a tidal wave, crushing her insides, sending chasms of agony through her legs, her back, even her fingers.

The queen smiled coldly down at the mermaid as she felt her fingers curl around her warm, beating prize. She prepared to pull it out, hold it triumphantly in front of the young one's face, and watch her cringe at the sight. But when she moved her arm back, the exit was blocked.

Regina tugged again and frowned. "Strange. This usually works."

She tried giving it a little more strength, really concentrating on the magic. Ariel felt agonizing thumps against her rib cage again and again as the queen tugged and tugged. She whimpered like a wounded animal, sweat pouring down her brow, the pain intensifying with each tug of the queen. But her heart stayed put. Finally, after a few more moments of excruciating torture, the queen slipped her hand out. Empty.

Ariel collapsed sideways onto the sand, shaking hard from what had almost just happened. She curled her bare legs into herself as her heart beat a staccato in her heaving chest, as hard as a hammer. So awful. Waves of nausea rolled over her, threatening to empty her stomach, so she clenched her teeth hard and slowly exhaled. Ariel would have gladly accepted death right at that moment if it would only cause the pain to stop.

She lay there, curled up in a pathetic ball on the wet sand, whimpering softly as Regina contemplated this predicament. A mermaid under her control had been her objective but it looked like that would not be happening. Perhaps she should have expected this. Mermaids were the sirens of legend, magical beings like fairies or ogres. Regina had once read about the difference between beings that _use _magic, like herself, from beings that _are _magical, like a fairy or a mermaid in this case. Clearly, the distinction gave the magical creatures some advantage over humans. At any rate, she could not take the young one's heart now. How disconcerting.

Ariel sat up, slowly but surely. Using just her legs, she pushed herself into a standing position. Blood was streaming down her nose and she looked deathly ill. But she was on her feet—swaying a little, but standing.

"Your Majesty?" One of the knights asked. "What just happened? Did it not work?"

The queen rolled her eyes in a very unladylike way. "I'm surrounded by idiots." Regina mused. "I cannot hope to accomplish anything here." She looked baffled for a moment as she turned back to her steed.

"It looks like we'll have to continue this conversation elsewhere mermaid." Regina mounted swiftly and reined her horse sideways so that she was directly over Ariel's head.

"Your Highness…what shall we do with her?" The knight Harold asked.

Regina was smiling again. She had just thought of something, something that she could take from the mermaid now. "Oh, yes, I know what I'd like from you. Since I cannot take your heart, at the very least you can give me…" she leaned over and twisted her hand in front of Ariel's face. A small, glass vial appeared in the palm of her hand with a puff of purple smoke. "…a tear."

Ariel's heart had recovered from the attempted extraction enough that she felt it lurched at the sound of the demand. A tear in the hands of this evil woman of magic could mean only one thing…an immortality spell. Queen Marina had once told her that magic from the glittering orb of a mermaid's tear was the primary ingredient in a magical potion to create immortality for humans. This was why mermaids do not cry, ever.

"You are insane." Ariel said softly, shaking her head from side to side. "And I will not help you. You might as well kill me now."

"How barbaric child! To make such a suggestion like that. What kind of person do you think I am?" Regina extended her arm and plopped the vial into the knight Harold's outstretched armored-hand.

"Take her to the lake. Make sure she does not escape. If you do not get a tear by tomorrow, bring her back to the castle." She commanded to her troop as she turned on her horse.

One of the burly soldiers placed his hand on his sword, his narrowed eyes silently daring Ariel to try and escape.

"It shall be done my queen," Harold said as he bowed his head. "But where shall you be?"

Regina did not bother to turn around. "I'm going to pay a visit to the Dark One about our 'little mermaid' here." She gave her steed a light kick, making sure she did not hurt him, and then galloped off on the sand.

Queen Regina departed as abruptly as she had arrived.

* * *

Snow White could not believe her good luck. She had snagged a fat one this time.

The past year she had lived in these woods, running from royalty, had taught her a lot about taking care of herself and surviving. It was a dangerous world Princess Snow White now lived in. The Queen wanted to rip her heart out and all of her black knights would not hesitate to do the same.

These days, it seemed that all she ever did was hide and run. The comforts of a soft living: a warm bed, the guarantee of a meal every day, sound shelter from the elements; all were luxuries from a distant past she barely remembered anymore. Laziness was a way to get yourself killed in the Enchanted Forest. Part of her strategy for the past year had been wandering, moving from place to place, never lingering, and never setting down roots. But hiding also mean survival and survival required food, like the plump rabbit she had just snared.

"Gotcha!" she whispered triumphantly as she grabbed the dead animal. Dinner would be very fulfilling tonight.

Snow placed the meal in a small leather bag and tied it to her belt. It was time to head back home, back to the cabin. She'd been hunting since early dawn and was more than ready to reap the rewards of a hot meal. Despite her fatigue she knew deep down that she was no longer the prim, delicate little thing she had been from her previous life. Life on the run, living in the forest had changed her and made her into a different woman. Her muscles were harder, her steps were strong, and she moved with a flow more becoming a hunter rather than a princess. Could she even go back to that life now? Most likely not, but Snow did not think badly of it. She'd accepted that she was likely going to spend the rest of her life as a vagabond. She supposed it was a fair trade. In exchange for living, her childhood dreams of having of happy endings, brand-new beginnings, and true love had to be forgotten. She'd come to terms with that long ago, or rather that is what she kept telling herself.

_At least I have a family that I love and care about _Snow thought with a warm, grateful smile. _There's Red, Ella in the village, Granny, and Ti..._

A foreign sound in the forest broke Snow's wandering thoughts. She frowned and tilted her face upward, instantly alert; the forest always held untold dangers. She turned her hooded head in the direction she thought she heard the sound.

_There it is again-is that armor rattling? _Her thoughts were alarmed now.

Instantly, Snow crouched to the forest floor, ready to spring and flee at a moment's notice. It could be the queen's men looking for her although she had not seen them this far south yet. Had they finally found her? After crouching for a few more minutes, her curiosity got the better of her. It might be better to know what she was up against. She rose and crept cautiously towards the noise. Silently scaling a small outcrop of a hillside on her stomach, Snow reached the summit and cautiously peered through the cover of a brush.

Her worst suspicions were confirmed. It was a whole troop of the black-clad knights of the Queen's court, their black plumed-helmets shining in the dark interior of the Enchanted Forest. Bright late-morning light reflected off of lethal-looking swords and spears, emphasizing the deadly nature of these men. But something else caught Snow's eyes, something that did not belong. Snow eased herself forward for a better look, being very careful not to make too much noise.

A girl?

A girl was swaying on the saddle of one of the ill-tempered black horses of the knights. Even from her high vantage point, Snow could see that something was terribly wrong. The girl's arms were bound behind her back and she was clad only in a long, white undershirt. Her bare legs wrapped tightly around the horse as she swayed precariously.

"We stop here!"

Snow was startled when the troop leader's voice rang out, strong and cruel. The large man marched over to the horse carrying the strange girl, reached up and grabbed her arm to pull her to the ground.

With her arms bound behind her back, the girl could not break the long fall. The shock of the ground must have shaken her deeply for she squeezed her eyes in pain, but did not make a sound. Snow was outraged. As the men surrounded their prize with ease, Snow could only grip her gloved hands in a fist at her burning fury. It was one thing for these men to hunt _her_ down like an criminal, but to capture a young one and treat her like that! The cowards! And where were her clothes?

The girl (probably a teenager) eased herself upward clumsily to her knees. She did not show any emotion. Her face remained unreadable and passive while she stared down at the ground, as if contemplating her fate.

The leader of the troop drew a long rapier from his large belt and angled it towards the girl's face. Snow cocked her head to hear his words. "One last chance. Give us a tear and you will be released."

The girl was shivering hard on the ground, probably from cold and fear. She looked up and stared into the knight's face, a defiant glare in her eyes. Her red hair fell over her forehead, adding a darker intensity to her stare. Still she did not say a word.

Snow's blood boiled inside her veins as she watched. How could Regina command her men to do something like this? She had an uncontrollable urge to help this girl, save her somehow. It might have been suicidal; there were at least half-dozen men, all heavily armed, and Snow was still a wanted criminal. All of these men had likely served her father and would instantly recognize her as a hefty prize for the queen. But she couldn't just leave a young girl to this fate, no matter what the stakes.

Snow eased herself backwards, not taking her eyes of the group below. She crawled, elbows and knees, down the hill again. A closer position would help her hear better and allow her to determine where the knights would be taking the girl. But before she wandered too far, she paused as she remembered something. With an almost regretful sigh, she untied the bundle holding the rabbit for dinner on her belt, and left it behind as she crawled away. It would only slow her down and get in the way.

_Saving this girl is much more important _Snow confirmed to herself with a firm nod of the head. Some creature of the forest, a wolf likely, would get an unexpected free meal tonight.

* * *

Ariel awoke on the post in the late afternoon. She leaned her sore neck back a little, taking in the blazing ball of sun directly overhead as it burned her eyes. Most of her body, half-in the water, was human. But her fish-half lay underneath, the reason she was close to dying. Her top half was bare. The queen's men had ripped off her shirt earlier, probably to humiliate her and dry her out faster. She was tied to a heavy post by thick, knotted ropes around her wrists. Her exposed skin was tinged blue with cold, and she could not feel her fingers anymore. She didn't even have her long hair to offer some warmth to her back. Ursula had hacked most of it off.

_Bet she'd love to see me now. _She couldn't help but think as she leaned forward again, resting her cheek on her arms.

At any rate, she could not move very much. The ropes were too tight, only allowing her a small angle of movement with her tail. The post itself was in the water but chained to a large tree root. The edges of the ropes were so rough that ever so often when she shifted her weight, she saw a thin line of blood run down her wrists. She had spent most of the morning and early afternoon thrashing and pulling at the ropes and her arms now throbbed. She had even taken her fangs to the cords, and tried to gnaw at the ropes like a mouse. But her sharp incisors, perfect for slicing into flesh, were useless against strong cords. Her side ached from where she had fallen after the knight had pulled her off of the horse onto the ground.

If _only_ she'd fought harder, maybe taken her teeth to those men as they forced her into the water. After they'd pulled her off the horse, the knights had her cornered with swords and spear leveled at her face. Ariel did not plead for any mercy, but she did struggle hard as they dragged her to the shores of a large lake and secured her wrists to a post. Then, they pushed her into the water, or rather half-in the water as her bonds prevented her tail from being fully submerged. Which was probably the point.

"Staked out in the sun to dry, only half-in the water. Not enough to live, but just enough to make the dying slow." The knight named Harold had explained to her. After he had told her this Ariel suddenly, in that moment, truly regretted that she never killed any humans before.

Now, she was trapped, with no way to escape. A sudden fury overcame her at her own helplessness. She bucked hard against her restraints, useless as the efforts were. Her tail ached as she flapped hard, using every last ounce of her strength, before sinking in defeat. The ropes and the chains were beyond even her mermaid strength.

"Still trying to get away?" Ariel jerked her head up to see one of the younger guards standing close on the lake shores. Had he been there the whole time? Even her exhaustion could not stop the shiver of revulsion that went through her.

"Bet you'd like some water mermaid?" The young man continued. Her lips were cracked and her throat was bone dry, but she did not even bother answering. He held out a wooden cup, filled to the brim with sweet, crystal clear water. "Here it is! Just give me one little tear and it's all yours." He shook the small glass vial the queen had created in front of Ariel's eyes.

Ariel suddenly found the strength to hiss and jolt forward as if lunging at the guard. Her restraints held her fast, but she did get the satisfaction of watching the foolish human boy fall on his backside in fear.

The boy stood high over her. "Monster!" He tried to cover his much-undignified scrambling with a strong, inflated shout. "Freak of nature! Die here then."

He huffed away, back towards where his compatriots gathered around a small cooking fire.

_A freak? _Had she any moisture left in her mouth, Ariel would have yelled right back at him. Called him what he truly was: a monster without a heart and a puppet to the queen.

She hardened her mouth and tried hard not to swallow. The steely glint in her deep blue eyes was starting to fade. Ariel leaned her dry head against the post, conscious of only the rawest emotions of grief and pain. She would die here, strung up on a post like an animal, and no one would care. Not a soul in the surface or the ocean world.

_Won't be long now. _She thought as she closed her eyes to rest again. _I'm sorry Eric._

* * *

It was dark now except for the shinning winter moon. Snow had waited until the camp was quiet. Only one man was left to guard the fire and his back was turned to where the girl was secured. Snow could see that he was dozing, swaying against a tree stump that served as a head rest. A good sign.

_Now or never_ she thought. The girl was in deathly danger and she needed Snow.

Snow drifted silently through the trees towards where she had seen the knights take the girl. Her steps were slow but quiet as a hunter. Although the lake shore was large, Snow knew where the girl was; she had watched carefully from the height of a tree earlier. She went through a tight cluster of saplings, making sure her cloak did not catch on anything as Red had taught her. After pausing to glance back towards the camp, she turned back towards the lake and abruptly stopped.

Snow had found what she sought, but it was not what she expected. She almost inhaled too quickly, catching herself just in time to prevent the loud gasp.

A mermaid-_No, the girl _Snow corrected herself-was suspended in the air by a sturdy post, hanging limply with her eyes closed. She was on one side, turned towards her left and Snow could clearly see the long fish-tail extending into the water. In the cold winter night, the girl wore no covering at all.

Snow stood there, baffled. When she'd come into the camp she hadn't any clear plan of exit in mind, just the idea of helping the girl and escaping with her somewhere. Escape. With a mermaid? It suddenly seemed ridiculously impossible.

Coming closer, Snow could clearly see the paling of the scales right below the girl's navel, the cracked dry lips, and sun-burnt back. She looked dreadfully ill.

_I can't just leave her like this. _Snow thought hurriedly. She had to move fast. The mermaid might die at any moment, but there was only one way to reach her. And it would not be pleasant.

Slipping into the lake, Snow stifled a cry of surprise as the cold water folded over her legs. It seemed so cold that it should have been frozen. She waded as fast as she could until she reached the post where the unconscious girl was tied. Up close, Snow could see that she had a lovely young face and beautiful features. But her eyes had dark circles underneath, and she seemed very underfed. Her spine ridged out like a stone line down her bare back. The knots looked monstrously large against her slender wrists. Had the girl been human, Snow would have guessed her to be in her mid to late-teens. _Oh gods, she's just a child. _

Taking off her gloves, doing her absolute best to work quietly, Snow slipped her dagger out of its sheath and began to work at the restraints. The cold night made her fingers so numb that she had to work very carefully, least she slip and cut the girl's wrists off. Snow's breaths came out in rapid puffs of mist as she sawed faster. She pushed herself to finish before the queen's men awoke. Finally, the last strand snapped free and the girl slumped forward into the post. Snow quickly caught her shoulders before her head went under the water.

Leaning over, Snow gently started to rub the young one's face, hoping to stir some life. "Wake up. You're free now." The girl remained still, Snow could not even see her breathing.

Snow scooped up a handful of water and brought the moisture to the girl's cracked lips. Perhaps she needed something to revive her? She looked so desperately thirsty. Snow repeated the process several times, and then used her hands to try and warm up the girl's cheeks with more gentle rubs. Snow White breathed warm air into her fingers, and massaged the thin bare shoulders.

"Come back…come back to me," she whispered urgently, feeling her hope dwindling. She gently rested the girl's head against her knees.

Then, Snow felt a faint movement under her hands.

The girl's eyes were easing open painfully slowly. She coughed lightly, and then struggled to raise her head. She looked very confused as her eyes slowly focused on Snow's smiling face. Those deep blue wells, they were completely unreadable to Snow's own eyes. The mermaid gave her one ragged stare of desperate, distraught fear then turned and splashed into the depths of the lake. Snow was so surprised; she nearly fell into deeper water herself. The movement had happened so fast, she barely had time to realize that the girl was awake before she swam away.

Ridiculous as the sentiment was, Snow felt disappointed she did not have a chance to talk to the mermaid. It might have been fascinating to converse with a creature of the sea, to hear her story. But after all, the girl had been a prisoner for so long she likely needed the relief of the water, and fast. It was only right that she swim away after being freed.

"Good luck" Snow whispered as she watched the shimmering mass move swiftly under the water.

She truly hoped that the girl would be alright. But dark red stains on Snow's sleeves, the mermaid's blood, reminded her that the mermaid was injured. Likely from that awful rope. She needed food, water, sleep, and warmth or else she would perish.

_Nothing I can do now. _Snow tried to convince herself but deep down, she needed to make sure the girl was alright. At least make sure she made it to the other side of the lake.

_Still have a thing for making friends in unusual circumstances eh? _She thought wryly to herself. _First Red, then Ella, now…gods, I don't even know her name. _

Snow straightened herself up in the water, tucking her dagger back into its sheath. She prepared to amble back up the muddy bank, and follow the streamline the mermaid had made. Focusing on pulling her soaked boots out of the mud, Snow concentrated hard on nothing but moving her feet. But when she glanced up, her heart froze.

The whole troop of the queen's men was standing right above her on the higher lake ground. Staring her down with all weapons unsheathed and pointed right at her.

Snow's dagger was out in a second but even she knew that it was a bluff. One dagger against a half-dozen men? She did not stand a chance. There was not even any place to flee; she was standing ankle-deep in a lake with the knights forming a semi-circle around her. Her heated breath fogged the air in front of her eyes as her breathing suddenly doubled in intensity.

"It seems that we have just lost our big fish," one knight spoke up with cockiness. "But we have reeled in an even bigger catch…Snow White herself."

Snow retreated back a little. She caught her breath when the cold water crept to her calves.

"Don't make things harder on yourself." The knight stepped closer still. "There is nowhere to run. You cannot swim like that thing you cut free does."—_Thing?! She's a person!_ Snow bit her lip. — "The queen wanted its tear, but now…" he drew a small, lethal-looking knife. "We're going to give her your heart instead."

As she braced herself for a fight, Snow felt very stupid for getting herself caught sneaking right into an enemy's camp and freeing some random mermaid. But somehow, she did not regret it. She could not have left the girl to die. Even though it might cost her life now.

Cold water now rushed up to her thighs, she would soon be _swimming._

As she stepped back further into the lake, her breath caught in her throat as she saw an odd ripple shimmer next to her right leg. Something was swimming in the water, a living thing moving around her. Something _huge_!

The knights must have recognized the scaley mass for they all raised their swords higher, pointed them at the thing in the water. Snow stepped backwards again, lost her footing in the lake mud, and nearly slipped fully into the lake.

It all happened so fast.

Something large rose out of the water, pushing itself upward with a surge of liquid. Whatever it was, it was directly behind Snow, so close that she felt the splashes soaking her green cloak. Snow had just jerked her head back to look over when she felt strong, thin arms circle her shoulders and chest. As the thing pulled her towards the lake, she heard the thwack of a large tail slapping the water's surface. Suddenly, she was aware that she really was starting to slip into the water, falling sideways while still in the arms of the creature.

Snow risked a quick look over her shoulder then. The face of the mermaid, wet with water and mud, loomed only centimeters from her own. Snow was not sure to be more afraid of the mermaid or the knights that were splashing into the lake after her. But then she saw something in the mermaid's eyes. Not the weariness of defeat as before, but the determined glint a righteous person feels for her mission.

Suddenly, the whole world reeled sideways as Snow felt the both of them lose their balanced and pitch headlong into the lake. She tried to scream as the force of the water folded over her head, but only a stream of bubbles came out. Even though her eyes were open she saw nothing but darkness as the mermaid pulled the both of them through the waters with strong pumps of her tail. The world felt like it had lost all stability as up and down, right and left blended together in a confusing chaos. She clawed and tried to fight against the currents and the strong grip of the mermaid. She struggled to lift her head to the surface, find the ground with her feet, _anything_! But nothing she did even caused the mermaid to miss a beat with her tail. They were both flying through the lake water, slicing through the liquid like the wind.

"After them!"

The guards quickly abandoned their futile roving through the water and scrambled back to the shore. Picking their way through the mud and brambles, several of the men lost their footing and slipped. The rest made it to camp and quickly grabbed their riding gear to mount the steeds.

"Faster you fools!" Harold's rugged voice rang over the scrambling sounds of chaos. "If we lose them _both_ now—the queen will crush all of our hearts beneath her fingers! Get them!"

Mounting their steeds, the queen's elite tousled about, trying to turn their horses fast and begin the pursuit. Finally, they set off. Mud and clumps of grass flew upward as the horses galloped, hooves flying fast. The queen's men were on the move.

And the mermaid and the princess were still in grave danger.

* * *

**Two chapters in two days-phew! I am on fire baby! ;)**

**Expect more adventures for Ariel, Snow, Red, Eric, Rumplestiltskin, and the whole gang soon enough. **

**Reviews are sugar and spice, and everything nice!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney. **

**Chapter 11**

**...**

With a simple wave of the hand, Queen Regina opened the heavy double doors of the front entrance to the castle of the Dark One.

_Terrible security _She mused disfavorably. _Nothing like my palace. _

No matter. She had information to gather, information that Rumplestiltskin would likely be willing to part with. For no price at all. Oh yes, _this _time she was more than prepared for the imp's antics of magical trading. She had a story to tell him, a story that after he heard it, he would be so miserable that he would not even think how precious the information he gave freely was.

And the best part was—none of it was true!

Regina smirked at that last sentiment and thrust her arms out again, opening the second pair of double doors. She sauntered into the grand hall of the Dark One himself, casually strolling as if walking down a garden lane.

"Flimsy locks," she could not help but point out.

She saw that her words barely registered, Rumplestiltskin remained standing with his back towards her at his loom. Why the man insisted on keeping that flimsy article around, she would never know. Her last conversation with the imp had left her in no position to ask trivial questions of magical antiques. But this time, Regina possessed the wild card. Her high-heeled boots clicked on the fancy marbled floors as she strode over to the table, putting on airs of nonchalance.

After allowing herself a little self-satisfied snicker at her earlier jab, she spoke as casually as one does concerning the weather, "I have a deal to discuss."

She reached a hand towards the silver tea pot placed on the gilded Hall table. "A certain…_mermaid_."

…

The edge of the lake was yet untouched by the faint angles of dawn light that had pierced the upper portion of the forest tree tops. It was liquid smooth, not a single ripple graced the surface to distinguish the water world from the forest world.

Suddenly, two figures burst out of the deep end, both gasping and gulping for air.

Snow felt the arms of her captor twist her to one side, and then fling her like a doll towards the lake shore. Right into a nice thick patch of mud. But it was solid ground! Snow wedged herself onto her elbows and crawled slowly up the muddy bank, just away enough that only her legs were still in the shallows. Then she rested her cheek on the ground and just _breathed_.

_That was awful! _She shivered hard in her soaked clothes. Then a thought occurred to her and she quickly lifted her head to look back into the water. _Where is the…?_

The mermaid who had saved her life was still in the lake edge, lying mostly in the muddy water. She had her eyes squeezed shut and her head wedged into the watery muck of the shoreline. Snow saw her half-opened hands fold and unfold into themselves a few times, before clenching into a determined fist. Slowly, painfully, the mermaid turned onto her stomach and started to pull herself forward using only her arms. Inch by inch, she did not stop until her tail was completely out of the water. Snow's eyes widened as the green scales sank into flesh. The fins running down her sides shrank and then vanished, leaving only a faint watery residue. Not one scale remained; her tail was completely gone now, replaced by two legs and two feet. Her blue lips trembled as she curled up into herself in the freezing mud, folding her shaking legs and arms over her weak form.

_I didn't know mermaids could have legs! _Snow thought incredulously.

But Snow could not stand how scared and vulnerable the girl looked. She reached over and gently touched one of the mermaid's forearms, letting her know that she was not alone. The deep blue eyes, buried in a face so young, glanced up at her. Expressionless.

"It's OK," Snow gave what she hoped was an encouraging smile. "You're going to be alright. You're going to be fine…"

Again, no answer. Snow was puzzled. _Maybe she can't talk?_

At any rate, the girl looked too exhausted to converse about anything right now. Snow eased herself up to look over the edge of the girl's form at the lake they had just crossed in a matter of seconds. It was huge! She could barely make out the wooden post on the other side of the shore. How fast could mermaids really swim?

But before Snow could marvel further at this wonder, she heard the thundering of hooves and the rattling of armor. The queen's men! She quickly got herself to her feet, nearly losing her balance in the slick mud, and scanned the tree-lined lake shore for trouble. Snow's sharp forest-green eyes soon saw: black-armored men on horseback, heading their way. They had only a matter of minutes before they would be upon them.

She quickly turned to the girl, still curled up in a ball on the ground. It did not look like she would be doing any fleeing by swimming. Snow would have to help her escape.

"Come on", Snow said hurriedly as she knelt down. "We have to get out of here."

She gripped the girl's right wrists, intending to help her to her feet. The girl flinched and snatched her hand back. Her blue eyes glared up at Snow's with contempt.

"Please! The Queen's men are coming!" Snow knelt down to try and explain quickly but then saw the reason for the pained expression.

The right wrist of the girl was as cut up and bruised as the left, but swollen and disfigured in a way the other was not. Snow could now see that the girl favored the arm by holding off of the ground, trying hard not to touch it.

_Gods! Her wrist is broken. What can I do to …_Snow thoughts were interrupted by the shrill of a horse. A little too close for comfort.

Snow scooped down and lifted the girl by her left arm instead. Her legs buckled. Within a second, Snow slipped the girl's arm over her own shoulder, and rose with the weight of both of them. She could feel the mermaid trembling with the effort of getting to her feet.

"Come on, we have to go." Snow said urgently, her hands resting over the girl's as they fled together.

Though she received no answer, she did notice the straightened line of the girl's shoulders and the new forward jut of her jaw. Even the faintest hint of a nod. There was determination to live in the young one yet.

The two of them staggered away from the shore, the mermaid leaning on Snow for support the whole way. She stumbled a lot, as if her feet moved without her control, but she seemed to be trying very hard to keep up and Snow could not fault her for that. But they were making a lot more noise than was wise. While the two continued to flee, Snow heard the sounds of the guards approaching on foot, hacking at the forest foliage with their swords. They were almost upon them and the mermaid was making far too much racket, hobbling like a newly-born foal on long legs.

"This way!" Snow whispered urgently as she shifted their direction suddenly.

The mermaid did not reply, just tried to turn fast.

Snow found the perfect spot to stash a mermaid, a grove of ancient mangrove with overarching branches hanging so low that a curtain of greeneries covered the entire spot. Thick bushes of rhubarb added further coverage. Snow stepped carefully over some downed logs, and then dipped her back, allowing the weight of the girl to slide off gently onto the ground. She seemed to understand Snow's thoughts of hiding rather than fleeing for she did not protest when Snow placed her next to a tree. Snow quickly knelt down to join her, scanning the forest with quick eyes.

From the forest floor, the mermaid sat with her back pressed against the tree while Snow huddled close beside her. Snow strained her neck, trying to determine if the guards were still close – it was too hard to tell from the ground. After several agonizing moments of silence, broken only by the ragged breathing of the girl, Snow decided to risk a look.

"I'm going to see if the coast is clear," she whispered. "You stay here. Try not to make any noise."

The mermaid narrowed her eyes as she glanced sideways to Snow and gave—of all things!—a glare that clearly said, "_I know!_ _I'm not an idiot_."

Snow rose slowly upward and walked a little a ways. The first gray light of the dawn was filling the forest, allowing her a little more visibility. The subtle hint of dawn breeze caused Snow's skin to stiffen with cold. As she scanned the forest for dangers, she also felt a tightening in her stomach muscles. Red had always told her to trust her instincts and right now, they were fired up.

A dreadful uncertainty filled her. _Something is wrong. There should be a few guards still looking for us. They would not have given up so…_

Suddenly, something monstrously large and strong grabbed her from behind.

"You can't run from the queen Snow White," the guard spoke loudly into her ear.

The man twisted her head to one side and held her cheek against his cold breastplate while he grabbed for his knife. Out of the corner of her eye, Snow saw the knife glitter in the air over her shoulder, ready to plunge into her chest. Her right hand shot out and caught the wrist of the man. He tried to tear his wrist free, but Snow held fast. The guard hesitated for a split second, shocked at the way the former princess was fighting back. Snow tried an elbow jab but his armor was too thick to do much damage. Then he tore his arm free, angling the knife towards her side instead, and pulled back ready to plunge.

Eyes squeezed shut, Snow prepared to feel the knife drive into her side just below her ribs. But the pressure went to her back, not her side. And the guard was not moving for some reason. She stood for a moment, an uncontrollable trembling wracking all over her body. Eyes still closed, Snow kept expecting the pain of being stabbed to overwhelm her, but nothing happened.

The knight suddenly fell hard to the ground behind her, the knife still in his left hand gleaming without a hint of her blood on it. A thick tree branch, tapered to a fine point on one end, protruded out of his back.

_What happened? _Snow gripped her shirt collar and tried to calm her ragged breathing. _How did that happened? What is…_ She looked up and suddenly saw her answer.

The mermaid she had left by the tree was standing right behind the fallen knight. A few sweaty wisps of red hair hung over her eyes and her bare shoulders heaved as she stared at the man on the ground. Apparently, she had snuck up behind the black knight, and stabbed him through the back with nothing but a tree branch. Snow had simply felt the end of the branch pushing through the man's torso onto her back, nothing more.

Snow remembered her fears last night when the mermaid had grabbed her. Fears that she was going to kill Snow, drag her to the bottom of the lake and drown her. She now saw that those fears were false. She stretched out a hand to the girl. "Thank you." It was all she could think of to say.

The girl stepped back as she gazed down at the body of the guard, a look of adult-like sadness on her young face. She stood there swaying, waiting. Snow thought she looked so…tired. Her eyes were bloodshot in her gaunt face. Her young body was streaked with sweat and mud, and her wrists were swollen and ripped from the rope bounds of that awful post. She finally glanced up at Snow and with a small gasp she started to collapse. Snow quickly scooped down and caught the girl in her arms, lowering her gently to the ground. She was surprisingly light but it did feel a little odd to be cradling a naked teenage girl in the middle of the forest.

"I got you," Snow whispered assuredly.

A slight moan was the only indication that the mermaid had heard her words of encouragement.

"You're going to be alright," Snow said softly as she wrapped her arms around the girl, stroking the soft red hair. The mermaid let out a few soft whimpers, gripped the front of Snow's shirt, and buried her face into Snow's shoulder as if seeking comfort in the touch. Snow's heart nearly broke at the feel of the trembling girl against her own body.

"Shhhh. It's OK, I'm going to help you," Snow said soothingly, resting her cheek on the girl's head as she continued to rub her back.

The girl's eyes remained shut but her lips moved slowly. Snow leaned in closer, eager to hear the mermaid's first spoken words.

"Please…help…" she managed to croak out. Her voice sounded hoarse and unused.

"I will!" Snow said assuredly as she stripped off her heavy green cloak. It was still soaked from their trip through the lake but would have to do for now. She wrapped the girl in the article, securing it with a few ties.

Ever so gently, she helped the girl to her feet and once again slipped under her arm, shouldering the mermaid's weight. "Come on," she said. "I live nearby. I'll take you home."

They both stumbled away, Snow half-carrying the exhausted mermaid.

…

That night, elsewhere in the Enchated Forest...

When the white wolf crossed the small stream, her paws shattered a thin coating of ice along the edges. It was a bitterly cold night. Not the best conditions to be out and the wolf was well aware that her energies were nearly spent.

A jolt of pain coursed up her wounded paw when it struck a small rock. Easing herself slowly down onto the frozen grass, she lowered her white muzzle to inspect the curled paw. Numbed, she lapped at the wound. The long warm tongue lolled back and forth, back and forth, but it was not healing any faster. The creature sighed. Had her injuries not been sustained by magic, the cuts and scrapes would have disappeared within days. But here and now, a week after her tussles with Rumplestiltskin, and they were still present and giving her pains.

_This is punishment enough_ she thought, laying her furry head down against her outstretched paws.

The moon was down behind the Enchanted Forest tree line, but the stars shone in a canopy of cold light above her. The wolf's golden eyes roved in her narrow skull as she studied them, not really looking for anything. A second later she was spurred to her feet by terror. A bright light, far too powerful to be any star, was descending from on high towards her. The wolf's body shook but then she relaxed. She recognized a friend.

The Blue Fairy glided down from the forest canopy, her ethereal blue shine illuminating the golden eyes of the benign creature. As she flew closer, she summoned herself into her full form and came to a stop at the front of the wolf.

"Hello my friend," Blue said with a smile. "I've been looking for you. I never got a chance to say thank you."

The wolf cocked her head, puzzled. _Thank me? _she asked, her brow twitching in confusion. _Anyone else would have done the same. _

"No…they would not have," Blue answered.

The wolf paused, startled that the fairy had understood her. Her first reaction was a profound shudder of relief, but her second was bewilderment. She was beginning to recognize a pattern here, and it was a little frightening. The Blue Fairy had been very friendly, indeed, her presence here now confirmed that she might be a pack mate, but how could she understand her words?

"I'm sorry I don't have the answer." Blue shrugged her shoulders. "I wish I could help you understand why you are different."

The wolf stepped forward. A small smile formed on the fairy's face as she reached out a hesitant hand to stroke the wolf's pure white head. An unexpected shiver of pleasure went through Blue as, for the first time in her long lifetime, she stroked the fur of a woodland creature.

"How did you come to be this way?" she asked. The creature rumbled a growl that, oddly enough, Blue understood perfectly.

"You don't know?" This was puzzling, she'd never heard of animals born with this kind of gift of communication. There had to be magic involved somehow.

"Well, do you remember when this started happening to you?" She inquired further. "Someone who may have helped you after you helped them?"

The wolf cocked her head, the golden eyes taking on a glazed look as she thought hard. Her thick-furred brow suddenly went high as the answer suddenly came. _I _did _help someone once._ _I helped them both actually and ever since then…I could understand and speak to others in a voice that my pack could not. _The long muzzle lowered in shame. _That is why I am alone. Runts are not welcomed, especially strange ones like me._

"I'm sorry to hear that" Blue answered, not knowing what else to say. Wolf pack mentality was a little beyond her. In all her centuries of helping others as a fairy, this would be the first time she granted the wish of a wolf. She stroked the furry head again with warm fingers. "Maybe I can help you get to the bottom of this. Whom did you help?"

The wolf glanced back up again. She suddenly lifted her head proudly, ears erect, and curled her tail upward. _A mermaid. I helped a golden mermaid._

...

Snow White was at a loss of what to do. The mermaid was not getting any better. If anything, her condition was worsening. Despite the relatively warm cabin space, the girl shivered uncontrollably under the fur blanket Snow had tucked over her. Her skin was burning hot under Snow's gentle touch and flushed with red. She kept jerking her head from side to side, as if caught in her own personal nightmare and unable to flee.

Snow got out the wrung cloth and dabbed the mermaid's forehead, trying to bloat away the sweat that kept pouring down the young one's face.

"Hang in there," she whispered, more to comfort herself than anything.

She had brought the mermaid to the cabin she shared with Red. Long ago, when she had first suggested a cabin in the woods for both of them, she had allowed childhood fantasies of cozy little cottages with thatched roofs and birds chirping all around to put romantic images in her head. It helped her not to dwell on the sadness she felt for Red losing her mother. But after months of looking, what they had found instead, well… it was a cabin,—with a leaky roof, hardly any furnishings, mouse-infested, and smelling of livestock. Red guessed it used to be a woodsmen station that had been abandoned years ago. But it had been a good home these few months and Snow was more than grateful. And now she had her first guest in her new home.

Snow set down the cloth and took one of the mermaid's hands in both of hers. It seemed that all she could do now was offer comfort and this was the only way she knew how. Both of the mermaid's wrists were wrapped in ointment and clean clothes, healing the cuts and raw skin from those rough ropes the knights had used. Her right wrist was tied into a clumsy splint made of two straight tree branches. Snow still could not believe that the teenager had tugged so hard at the restraints her very bones had snapped. What kind of strength did these mermaids truly possess? But there was no time to think on that now. This girl had saved her life twice and Snow would do all she can to save hers.

"Eric… Don't leave me. Please! I'm so sorry…" The faint, sorrowful murmuring of the mermaid broke Snow's train of thought.

"Shhh, I'm here." Snow smoothed back the auburn hair where it had fallen over the pained face of the teenager.

She'd never felt so helpless in her entire life. Snow had no experience whatsoever in caring for a sick person. In her past life as a princess, whenever she was ill she had scores of nurses and servants attending her every need. She never had cause to learn how to do the care herself, until now that is. Until she had a sick mermaid in her cabin.

Snow stroked the smooth skin of the girl's forehead and wished, yet again, that Red was there. It was the last night of Wolfstime so she would have expected to hear from her sooner. Every month since Red had learned how to accept her Wolf, since Snow had stumbled into that, ummm…den, Red took a trip deep into the Enchanted Forest. Wolfstime was now a time for her to be free and run, no longer ashamed of what she was. Snow readily understood her friend's need to let herself go every month. Red usually left for a few days, returning back to the cabin she shared with Snow in very high spirits.

But now, for the first time since she had known Red, Snow desperately wished her best friend did _not_ turn into a wolf. Red would be much better suited for caring for the mermaid.

On the small pile of furs, the young girl continued to shiver, her body straining under a high fever. Snow's forest-green eyes peered anxiously down at the girl as she traced her fingers down the cheeks, wiping away some tears.

_Oh gods. She's burning up _Snow thought in alarm.

She did not know what to do with the fever, but at very least she should check the mermaid's wounds. As gently as she could, Snow took one of the curled up wrists in her hands. The girl cried out in pain at the touch as Snow continued to unwind the bandages, ready to treat the cuts.

"It's alright…it's alright. I'll try not to hurt you," she whispered as the mermaid's cries quieted and trailed off into soft whispers.

"Eric…I'm so sorry…" the words faded slowly as the girl slipped fully into a restless slumber.

…

Red was usually not one to take unnecessary side trips, but the damn rabbit had asked for it.

On her very last night of Wolfstime, her trip through the woods had led her into a large moon-lit clearing. As Red was enjoying the crisp snow air there came a rustling of bushes, out of which plopped a forest rabbit. The animal gave her a dubious stare that looked very smug and Red got the distinct impression she was being laughed at. It whiskers wiggled as the snout curled into a smirk and its head tilted to one side, just eyeing her.

_Well what are you looking at? _Red thought as she glared back.

Suddenly, the creature shot off into the brush, its white bob of a tail wagging almost mockingly after. Before she really thought about it, Red was sprinting after it. Round and round the woods she chased the effrontery rabbit, her wolf paws flying over the forest floor. The chase soon became more a game than a competition for survival. Red was exhilarated in the hot pursuit, thinking only of running faster and farther.

Red cleared a tree stump in one soaring leap and pounced right onto the rabbit. The fluffy creature slipped out of her paws easily and pushed off her face, launching itself away, leaving Red blinking in surprise at the feel of furry paws slapping her muzzle.

_Well that was embarrassing. A wolf outsmarted by a rabbit, glad no one saw. _She thought as she got to her feet, shaking her head. Red stood still in the darkness, glancing around and sniffing the wind to get her bearings. The trouble was that she had run so far and so fast, she was completely lost.

The green open spaces of the Enchanted Forest unraveled at her feet. A cold breeze blew over a small pond and the smell of the forest filled her nose. Red trotted on, thankful that she still had many hours left of Wolfstime to get back to the cabin and Snow.

As she stepped past the shadows of a bordering tree line, she heard the unmistakable snort of an amused party. When she looked up a rocky hill saw that she had company. At first, she took the animal for a small white dog, a puny one at that. But the narrowed muzzle suggested wolf and right now, it was curled up in a big amused grin in a way Red had never seen another wolf do before.

_I'm sorry…we're you actually trying to catch the rabbit or did you want to be used as a springboard?_ The white wolf sat back on her haunches and grinned down at Red from her higher vantage point with a big doglike smile that spoke of an easygoing, friendly personality. The wolf evidently thought her mishap with the rabbit had been hilarious.

Red felt a tremor run through her muscles _What? _she wondered. _Are you one like me? Are you from Anita's pack…_She felt a deep stab of pain of the thought of her mother, dying right in front of her eyes. Red made a soft sorrowful moan in her throat, forgetting her company for a moment.

The white one rose from her perch on a rock slab and glided towards Red, whining softly with a note of gentleness. She approached slowly, muzzle lowered, eyes gazing up at Red. _I'm sorry, I didn't meant to cause you pain. _

_It was not you, it was me._ Red replied with a few muscle twitches and a small grunt. This was by far one of the oddest conversations she was having in her life.

As the white wolf smiled up at her, Red studied her companion. Red was, as far as most wolves, very large. All of her kind had been, they were not normal wolves after all. She had seen her woodland cousins on occasion but all were much smaller and too intimidated by her to even approach. But this one was different. The golden eyes shone with intelligence and there was not a hint of fear in her posture. The wolf was much smaller than her, probably one of the forest variety, but the fact that she approached Red spoke of a difference that was not just physical.

Red touched noses with her companion, smelling to gauge any danger. She found none so gave a greeting, _Hello_.

_Are you hunting? _The white asked, gesturing towards the forest underbrush with a nod of her narrow skull.

For a moment, Red was at a lose of how to answer. She'd never even considered hunting as a wolf. In her brief time with her mother's pack, she'd never really learned how to. It seemed almost shameful to admit the inadequacy now.

Strangely, the other wolf did seem to judge. She made a grunting noise and turned her face away, scanning the forest floor with darting eyes. She started away, carefully tiptoeing along the pond bank, searching the muddy reeds and grasses for something. Quick as a flash, her muzzle shot into the ground, found its target, and before Red had time to be shocked, the wolf had snapped the neck of the water vole and gulped it down in a satisfying crunch.

_You're a wolf, not a cat! _Red's upper lip lifted in contempt. _How can you eat a rodent?_

_Hey! When I'm hungry, I'm hungry._ The white wolf licked her chomps, then patiently started studying the ground again, her brow furrowed with concentration. Then she lifted her head, plastered darker with a mud mask, and stared right at Red. _At least I _can _catch my meal Miss 'I'm too good for rodents but not fast enough for a rabbit!'_

Red narrowed her eyes and angled her dark muzzle forward. This one had an attitude unbecoming anyone, or anything, she'd ever met. But she did have a point. As a wolf, it was only right that one learned how to hunt and she was hungry. Red had a few hours of Wolfstime left, if rodents were the only thing available, then rodents would do well. Besides, it had to be better than other things she'd eaten in her life.

_Peter. _Another shudder, this one harder.

The white one saw her distress and crept forward, brow arched in sympathy. Red was so distracted by thoughts of Peter she was very surprised to feel a warm tongue washing her face vigorously. Although a well intended gesture, it was an indignity to Red and she stepped back with a snort and a glare.

_I'm sorry_. The white's mouth snapped shut and she gave a withdrawn whine as an apology. _I only meant to comfort you. _

_No..no…_Red hastened to apologize herself, berating her sense of mortification at the gesture of kindness from the stranger. _I was startled is all. I don't get to spend much time with…_ She paused. Was it safe to admit her unconventional conditions to this creature?

_You're a lone one too? _The other wolf smiled again. Red found it amazing the muzzle could lift and fall so very easily with emotions. _So am I! May chance we could be pack mates! Would you like to hunt with me?_

_I've never hunted_ Red answered, shrugging her massive furred shoulders. The white one was a full head shorter than Red, but gave off the impression of being taller. Bigger than her body.

The smaller wolf let out a huff of air that Red knew was a suppressed snort. _Well, I was just about to grab a late snack. You're welcome to join—so long as you don't scare away every rabbit we come upon._

_Yes! _Red's furry head bobbed up and down. She was excited now, her first hunt!

The white one arched out, craning her front paws forward to stretch some muscles, then turned and trotted away. Red followed, her heart pulsed with adrenaline, thrilled with the sense of a first hunt and the potential meal to come. But she felt like introductions should be made before the lesson began.

She cleared her throat and the white turned around. _My name is Red, what's yours?_

For a split second, her companion seemed puzzled. The muddy brow wrinkled with concentration before shooting upward with giddy discovery.

_Blue helped me figure out my name _she said with eyes full of pride and self-knowledge. _My name is Rain. _

…

It was early morning now. Snow was waiting at the back door of the cabin when Red returned after her long night.

"Red! Thank goodness you're here." Snow quickly gave her friend a hug, overwhelmed in her relief at seeing that Red was alright. She gripped her friend's arm and led her into the dusty cabin's common room, past the stumps and slabs of wood that served as their kitchen table and chairs. The mermaid was still lying in the warmest corner of the room, curled up on the pile of blankets and furs, her ragged breathing barely visibly.

"Snow, what the…" Red stumbled on the words, her dark hazel eyes taking in the sight.

"It's a long story…"

Indeed, it was late morning had come before Snow was finished with her tale.

"So you found her tied up in the lake?" Red asked incredulously. Of all the cruel things she'd heard the queen's men were capable of, this was by far one of the worst.

"Yes." Snow leaned over and placed her hand over the girl's forehead. Right now she'd slipped into a more peaceful sleep, but Snow's touched confirmed that her fever was still very high.

Red sniffed the air heavily. The cabin had a distinct aroma to it that she could not quite place, but everything looked as it always did. The worn stools, the old fireplace, the complete lack of insulation…just like home. She knelt down and resumed her focus on the girl. Ever so gently, Red lifted one of the bandaged wrists and started to unwind the cloth wrapped around. The girl whimpered and clenched her eyes hard in pain.

Snow could not hold back the involuntary sharp intake of breath as she gazed at the wounds. The cuts were now festering, a sickening pus emanating around the deepest lacerations. The girl's tiny wrists were awash with a disgusting blend of red blood, purple bruising, and yellow pus. Snow could only imagine that the other wrist, the broken one, was much worse.

Red was a little less shocked. She'd seen her share of wounds in her time living with her granny and was vaguely aware of what to do. Their young guest, lying in the sweat-soaked sheets, was in dire need of some medicine.

She gently laid the girl's arms back down on her stomach. "I'll go into the forest and gather some feverfew and willow. It'll help with her fever and ease the pain a little." Red rose and quickly grabbed her red cloak from the hanging peg by the large front door. Throwing it around her shoulders, she addressed Snow. "You put on a kettle. We'll need to boil those bandages and reapply some ointment. Maybe wash her too. She looks like she hasn't had a bath in…" Here Red paused and distinctly sniffed the air.

Snow stood too and gave Red a quizzical look. "What is it?" she asked her friend.

"Snow…this is going to sound crazy, but I think I smell the ocean." Red's nostrils flared as she inhaled another odor. "And fish, I smell fish…but how is that possible? We're leagues from any…"

"Oh that…" Snow grimaced and glanced down at the girl lying on the floor. "I forgot to tell you Red. She's a mermaid."

Red stopped fiddling with the ties of her hood. "Uh…sorry, a what?"

"A mermaid." Snow walked to the other side of the cramped room and opened a worn cupboard door, searching for the old kettle. "I found her tied up, half-in the water. I think the queen's men were trying to force something out of her." She paused and could not help but flinch at her next words. "She was dying Red, strung up like an animal and left to dry in the sun."

"My gods." Red glanced down at the girl, looking with a newly-found sense of awe. "She survived that?"

Snow nodded. She hadn't even had a chance to explain how the mermaid had pulled her to safety, dragged herself onto shore, and then stabbed one of the black knights straight through with a tree branch.

"We have to save her." The strong note of urgency in Snow's voice and determined glint in her green eyes was not unnoticed by Red. She was very good at reading her best friend.

"Snow, I know you are always kind… even to me after I killed as a wolf. But there is something else about this girl, isn't there?" Red noted, her sharp eyes boring into Snow's.

Snow sighed. "She saved my life Red. At a great risk to her own. We have to help her."

Red nodded in confirmation, her affection for the stranger tripled upon hearing that simple statement. She urgently flipped up her red hood to cover her head and turned to leave. The woods were cold now that winter had come and she would need to be vigilante on her journey.

As Red slipped quietly out the door, Snow hung the battered iron kettle over the flames of the kitchen fire and went back over to the pallet where the young girl lay. She knelt down and gently tucked the fur blanket a little snugger around the girl's thin frame. Maybe she only imagined it, but she could have sworn she saw a hint of dark-blue under the thin dancing eyelids of the mermaid. Was she waking now?

"It's alright," Snow whispered. "You're safe here. I won't let anything happen to you."

"Please…please…" the teenager shook with the effort of saying the words. Snow soothingly dabbed at her sweaty neck with the cloth.

"Shhhh…don't talk. You need to rest."

"Please don't hurt him." The plea was so soft, Snow almost did not hear it.

…

Numbing pain coursed through her whole body, threatening to engulf her and force her back into that dark place her mind took her whenever she lost consciousness. A place of pale mermaid eyes and waters stained with blood. Thinking of the water only reminded Ariel of how thirsty she really was. Her throat was so parched it took great effort just to breathe. When her thin chest rose and fell with small gasps, she felt as if her very ribs were knocking against each other. Just the effort to draw a simple breath was so exhausting,

Ariel felt the small tip of a cup settle onto her cracked lips. She did not question her salvation but gulped the water down with all the strength she could muster. It revived her in a small but essential way. Enough so that she cracked open her heavy eyelids open to see a little.

The woman who had saved her…cut her free from those hellish bonds was leaning over Ariel, holding a small wooden cup to her lips. The raven hair fell around features so exquisite Ariel felt as if she were in the presence of royalty. But that of course was impossible.

"Here…drink this." The woman spoke gently and with a warm smile.

Ariel did not question the bitterness that came with the taste with the next cup of water, just that it was liquid and she wanted it badly. It gave her another surge of strength. After months of being unable to say it—she finally was able to whisper the two words. "Thank you"

The woman looked surprised, as if she was not expecting Ariel to express her gratitude. Then she smiled nicely, "You're more than welcome."

Ariel started to glance around, trying to in her surroundings. But the darkness of the cabin prevented her from seeing much detail. She did not remember much, only being pulled to her feet, dragged around, then sinking into a soft mound of blankets. She started to feel her heavy eyelids drop down again. As much as her curiosity burned to know what had happened and where she was at, her body was simply not allowing her to remain awake long enough to find out.

"It's OK. Rest now, you're safe here," the woman spoke again in soothing tones.

Despite everything that humans had done to her lately, Ariel found herself believing in the words. They gave her hope. She wanted so badly to do the traditional human introductions, to say her name and ask the name of her companion. Just like she'd seen other humans do so many times.

She drifted off but before she was asleep, she murmured a few words. It was such a blessing to just _talk._ "My name is Ariel."

* * *

**Another long one I know! But I so enjoyed writing it and I sincerely hoped you enjoyed reading it. **

**As a bonus I will give a little hint of something: the wolf Rain is based on a character from a lesser-known, but very real German fairytale. A fairytale involving a mermaid but not THE little mermaid. Any guesses? I promise I will give full details as Rain eventually will get the chance to tell her story. **

**Reviews are wrapped Christmas presents and tis the season for giving!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney. **

**Chapter 12**

"Snow…Snow wake up."

Snow White scrunched her face and reluctantly opened her eyes. Red was kneeling in front of her, smiling with a look of mock-disproval on her face.

"You feel asleep here." Red explained, lightly touching Snow's shoulder.

Something shifted on Snow's lap and she looked down. It was Ariel's head in her lap and the girl was sleeping peacefully.

_Now I remember, _Snow reflected with the fuzz of early morning thoughts.

Red and Snow had been taking turns checking on the mermaid at night. Even though it had been two days, two anxious-filled days, there still remained much uncertainty about the mermaid's health. But she seemed to be healing. The combined efforts of the medicine Red had gathered, Snow's attentiveness, and some inhuman strength had gotten the mermaid through the worst of the illness. Though she slept much, waking only long enough to gulp down some soup and medicine, Snow was very pleased to start to see more color in her pallor.

Last night it had been Snow's turn to check on the mermaid and she had found her sobbing in her sleep. Disregarding her own rest, Snow had eased Ariel's head into her lap and let the poor girl cry her grief out. Feeling for the first time since her father had died, a gentle warmth in her heart as she stroked the soft head which after some time, relaxed into peaceful bliss, Snow had fallen asleep too. Sitting cross-legged with a mermaid's head in her lap, leaning against the walls of the cabin was not the most comfortable place to spend the night but at least she had gotten the girl back to sleep.

Red shook her head. "You were supposed to wake me too remember?"

"I know," Snow said as she gently extracted herself from being Ariel's pillow. "Guess I got distracted." She stood up and rolled her shoulders and neck to stretch out stiff muscles.

Red smiled and knelt down next to the sleeping mermaid while Snow made her way to the kitchen. "I think she'll make it," Red said, patting the girl's head kindly. "I really think you saved her."

"_We _both saved her Red," Snow corrected as she got out the breakfast bread and the old kettle to make tea.

Red rose and came over to the kitchen table, giving Snow a somewhat amused look.

"What?" she asked, cocking her head at Red.

Red grinned a little. "I have to admit, when I walked in and saw you two…you actually looked like a mother cradling a child. You're going to be a great mother one day Snow."

Snow could not help the small smirk of disbelief. "Oh sure," she replied, "but maybe only if I had a fully-grown child. I wouldn't know how to be a good mother."

It was true. She'd spent most of her childhood burdened by the memories of her own dead mother, long nights of a distracted father, no one to teach her how to raise a family. The recollection of her mother had been a constant note of comparison that her father brought up party to party, ball to ball. But a memory was not enough. She wouldn't know how to be a good mother, even if she tried.

"Anything is possible." Red said with a glint in her eyes. "Once you take back the kingdom—" Red stopped when she saw the stricken look on Snow's face, she had forgotten that this was a touchy subject. "I'm sorry." Red said quietly.

Snow shrugged and resumed her focus on the bread, seemingly unaffected.

"Are you really going to be satisfied with hiding for the rest of your life? You're the rightful ruler." Red pointed out in a stronger tone than before.

Snow glanced up. "I know that Red," she said with a sad sigh. "But I'm not going up against Regina. She has her magic, those knights, and the whole kingdom against me. I would lose."

"I would stand by you Snow...so would many others."

_"No! _I will not risk your life like that. I'm _not_ going to take back the kingdom!" Snow flushed with an anxiety that Red easily saw. Then she softened her voice, composing herself. "I just _can't_. The only thing that matters is that the kingdom has a fair and just ruler, not who sits on the throne."

Red glanced down at the sleeping mermaid on the floor. "After what the queen did here, I really don't think she _will_ rule fairly Snow. If she's willing to let her men string up a girl and leave her to die."

Snow grimaced. She did not have an answer for that and the silence that followed was very awkward. In her heart of hearts, she knew her beloved kingdom was suffering at the hands of the Evil Queen. Their welfare was her responsibility, and yet she hid in the forest like an outlaw. The guilt of that knowledge weighed her down, but there was really nothing she could do about it now. Not while she had such a bounty on her.

Red finally spoke up, thankfully changing the subject. "Snow—I think I'll take a trip to the village today."

Snow's brow wrinkled with worry as she glanced up at her friend. "Red are you sure? It's a long journey and we really can manage without supplies for a while."

"We need a few things now," Red said firmly. "I don't have anything that she can wear"—Red cocked her head towards the mermaid—"and neither do you. We need to start feeding her more solid things too."

"Well if she stays awake long enough, I would love that." Snow studied the too-thin frame of the sleeping girl. "Maybe a few supplies are not a bad idea."

Red grabbed a hunk of the bread, stuffing it into her mouth and made for her robe that hung on the wall.

"Are you leaving now?"

Red brushed crumbs from her fingers onto her red skirt and reached for her hood. "It'll be a long walk. I think I can make there and back by tonight," she mumbled through a full mouth.

Snow chewed on her own bread and took the kettle off of the fire hook. Pouring a generous portion of hot water into two old mugs with tea leaves, she handed a drink to Red. "Alright. I think I'll go out too. Go hunting and see if I can get some meat for us." She nodded towards the mermaid. "And her too."

"Why go hunting? The ponds are not frozen yet, you could get some fish." Red fastened her hood ties and sipped the tea at the same time.

Snow raised her eyebrows. "Red, I'm not sure feeding _her _fish is appropriate," she whispered. "At any rate, you know I am a terrible fisherman."

Red paused, her face flushed with embarrassment at the un-intended ignorance. "Guess you're right." She turned from the table, looking down at the mermaid with fondness. "What do you suppose made the queen's men do this anyway?"

Snow shrugged. "They sounded like they wanted something from her." Well, no. Her stepmother wanted something. Snow had questioned why the Evil Queen had not simply taken the heart of the mermaid and forced whatever it was out of her. It had always been her preferred method of power. Still, this had the same end goal. She wondered how a mermaid had gotten caught by the queen's men in the first place. Was she captured at sea? Dragged in from a net? Did she miss her family?

Snow studied the mermaid and remembered how she had walked, clumsily and jerkily, her eyes fixated on her feet. "I don't think she's had those legs for very long."

"Well, she's our responsibility now." Red nodded firmly. Snow smiled gratefully, she truly could not have asked for a better friend.

"Good luck Snow." Red set her empty mug down and reached towards the doorknob.

"Be safe."

The wolf-girl adjusted her famous red hood. "Always." And then she was gone.

Snow sighed and finished the last of her tea. Retrieving the cool, wet cloth, she knelt down and started mopping the mermaid's forehead and temples. Those dirty rope that the knights had used on her had caused an infection to spread rapidly, but now, the girl seemed to have slept off the last of the fever. She was getting better. Snow wished she were awake so that she could personally reassure the teenager.

"You're going to live...Ariel," she said softly.

The mermaid continued to sleep, but Snow continued to talk. She was not sure why, it just seemed the right thing to do. "I'm so sorry this happened to you," she said as she leaned over and dunked the cloth in a pail of clean water filled with healing herbs. "The Queen she...she wants to hurt others. I wish she would only try to hurt me." She drew the mermaid's blanket down, lifted her thin wrists, and carefully removed the old bandages. With a gentle touch, she began cleaning the wounds. "If you stay wake long enough, I'd really like to thank you for saving my life, and for not drowning me!"

The girl's thin eyelids danced, as if trying to open, trying to reach out. Ariel had not been fully conscious for sometime now, but even as Snow waited patiently, the eyelids stilled again. Snow laid the cloth down and drew back the blanket even further, exposing the mermaid's bare back. The sunburn was much better than it had been but it still needed attention. Snow applied some ointment to her palms, warmed it with a few strokes of her hands, and, ever so gently, began applying it to the mermaid's back.

"That's such a pretty name, by the way." She finished and then tucked the blanket back over. "Ariel, the mermaid."

…

From the window, Rumplestiltskin watched with amusement, bordering on annoyance, the entrance of Regina's caravan of black knights into his castle grounds. This was her second visit in less than a week and although it was a little flattering, he really had more important things to do rather than just sit around and talk about fish-people. As such, he set down his tea cup and tossed a polite apology to his seated guest the moment he heard the queen open his front entrance. "I do apologize my dear, but it looks like we will be interrupted briefly."

Regina strode into the room, her dark eyes glaring daggers that dared anyone to give her an excuse to show her wrath. "Rumplestiltskin," she said curtly as a greeting, her hand waving to close the double doors behind her.

The Dark One rose from the handsomely-set tea table by the window, fluttering his hands in an elaborate bow. His typical-shrilly voice bordered on exasperation, "And _what_, may I ask, brings you here to my home once more? You do realize that I am a very busy man and have no time to banter about such trivialities as mermaids."

The unanwered question hung in the air between the two rivals of magic. Regina's seething silence was all Rumplestiltskin needed for an answer and it gave him a glint of self-satisfaction to know that the woman was so incompetent she could not keep a single mermaid captive. He left the tea table and strode towards Regina, smirking as only he could.

"The mermaid has escaped" Regina finally admitted it. "My clumsy guards were thwarted by a simple thief in the forest." She knew the later part was not true, her guards had clearly seen who it was. But she was not about to admit who it was that had freed the mermaid to Rumplestiltskin.

"My dear," he crooned, turning towards the seated figure whose back was to Regina, so far silent throughout their exchange "Have you _ever _been able to not control one of your flock?"

A woman leaned sideways into view, delicately placing her tea cup into its saucer before folding her hands over crossed legs. As she came into her line of sight, Regina could not help her surprise as she observed the stranger's otherworldly beauty. Her dark, crimson-colored hair curtained down one bare shoulder, contrasting drastically against the skin-tight black dress that accentuated her curves, both upper and lower. The long slender legs, crossed over on another, seemed to drift right _up _into her dress and Regina's eyes could not help but follow the flesh lines.

"My good sir, what kind of a queen would I be if I let my prisoners escape?" the acquiescence in her syrupy tone was keenly felt. "A _true _queen knows how to hit her targets in their soft spots."

"Allow me to introduce Ursula," said Rumplestiltskin to Regina, casually gesturing towards the exquisite creature. "The queen of the sea."

The two women of magical power barely acknowledged each other, a slight dip of the head on both ends. As slippery as one of her pet eels, Ursula slid out of her gilded chair and stood, her blood-red lips curling into a pitying smile that so irked Regina. _This one is full of herself_, she thought. But there was no time to dither on such nonsenses. She needed information and she knew that this woman, this other _queen_, would provide it.

"Have you lost your 'little mermaid'?" Ursula cooed.

"Yes," Regina's answer was curt, no-nonsense. "How do you suggest I get her back?"

"Well," said Ursula casually, picking up her tea cup again. "We were just in the middle of a discussion on magical sea properties." Rumplestiltskin nodded in confirmation. "If you care to join, I'd be more than happy to…"

"I'm afraid I've not time for a tea party right now."

"Oh, _whhhaaattt_ a shame," Ursula pouted, leaning in too closely and drawing the tip of one finger over Regina's right arm. The movement was far too personal for her and she stepped back at once, eyes blazing with fury.

"You know," Ursula continued, unhindered by Regina's obvious rejections to her advances. "There are some tales that say mermaids have no souls, that we are merely the product of a combination of dark magic and sea foam."

Rumplestiltskin flashed a devilish grin as he watched the show, easing himself down into a chair for a more comfortable position.

"However," Ursula ran a tongue over her lips. Regina was shocked to see that the article was narrow and forked, rather like a snake's. "There are also those that say when a mermaid finds love, not the silly romantic teenage dreams, but _real _love. The kind of love that requires time and effort and sacrifice…well, her very heart will weep at the thought of losing that love."

Regina smiled coyly, more than ready to play the game. "And I'm looking for _that_ particular mermaid."

"Yes, there seems to be a lot of that going around," Ursula said with amusement. "If I had known that little mermaid would be this popular…I would never have simply settled for just this." She twirled a lock of red hair in her pointing finger, pouting slightly with her lower lip.

"And how do I know that this mermaid even _has _a true love?"

"Oh she has a true love alright," Ursula exclaimed, slowly stroking the rim of the teacup with her fingers. Even that simple movement was too sensual and Regina forced herself not to look disgusted. "She risked her life to protect him. And I know just where to find him."

…

The numbing pain in her arm jolted Ariel awake. Her eyelids were so heavy but they gradually slid open at her command. Wtih great effort she sat up slowly, touching her aching shoulder with her one good hand. The bandage had come undone, tangling into her right fingers. She tried to pull it free but the pain of movement forced her hand steady. For a long time, she sat on her pile of blankets, holding her head in her hand as she caught her breath. Her whole arm throbbed painfully.

_Feels like a shark biting my bones. _For a second, the pain made her very queasy. She curled her bare legs closer, folding them under her chin as she looked around. Where was she…oh, yes, the cabin in the woods. That woman - Snow White according to the queen's poster - must have brought her here.

It was late afternoon and the small cabin was lighter than Ariel had remembered. It carried a pleasant smell, like well-packed earth. She saw the small hearth, table, chairs, and a door of thick sturdy oak, obviously well-made. The worn cupboard was leaning against the wall, and there were dishes inside. The walls and corners were still in darkness, but a small fire crackled merrily in the hearth, providing a sense of home.

After taking it all in, she decided to try and stand up. With a lot of groaning and grunting, she worked her legs a part. Putting weight on her legs made her gasp in pain so she crawled, mermaid-style, across the dirt floor to the table. Ariel gripped the edge for support, hissing with pain when she forgot her broken arm, and tried to pull herself to her feet with only one hand. She put more weight on her aching feet and pulled herself all the way up with the aid of the table. Once on her wobbly legs, she grinned triumphantly. She was actually on her own two legs, and she had done it all by herself! No matter how many times she would do it, getting to her feet was always an accomplishment. She stepped awkwardly around the table, using it as an anchor. The cabin was much smaller than the one she had shared with John, Jenny, and Eric. There seemed to be only a common room with the attached kitchen, a sleeping quarter, and another smaller room.

Ariel eased herself slowly down on one of the kitchen stools, still glancing around. _Where am I now? Where is that woman who saved me?_

These unanswered questions buzzed most-annoyingly in her head. The emptiness of the room, the fact that she was all alone, was beginning to unnerve her. If she stayed inside nothing would happen. But if she went out, maybe she could get some sense of location. Walking unsteadily, holding her broken arm close to her body, her outstretched fingers found the solid door and then the latch. Pushing it open, she was surprised at the onslaught of cold that assaulted her quivering body. Her shirt was long gone, ripped to shreds by the queen's men, and now she had no other covering. Ariel threw a blanket over her shoulders and wrapped it around her body, covering as much of herself as possible for the warmth. Then, she stepped past the threshold out into the world. The cold of the ground shot through her feet like a blow, but she kept moving forward. The first few steps were tricky, having no shoes made the frost-covered ground worse. But the forest was a charming green with trees growing so thick, their roots climbed over each other. The air smelled like cold wind. Frozen water puddled along the depressions in the roots and rocks.

It was all very wonderful to look at but still Ariel had no idea what was going on. _I want some answers. I _need _to know how. _She tightened her hold on her blanket wrap as another scarier thought came to her. _Maybe that other woman is in service to the queen? Another way to get my tears._

The crack of a twig resounded, as loud as a small boom, to her left. Sound traveled so differently above the water, there was so much noise and no way to block it out. Ariel's sensitive hearing always left her puzzled when she was able to hear things so far away, like the sound of soft boots heading right to the cabin.

Ariel's small frame quivered, ready to take action. _It could be a danger, one of the queen's men. I should do something!_

She stalked a little a ways from the cabin, hoping to find some cover where she could hide. The sound of footsteps drew nearer. Just in time she threw herself down in a patch of long grass behind an uprooted tree that overshadowed the ground. She lifted her head, peering cautiously through the foliage.

When she saw nothing, Ariel began to think herself very foolish. _Scared by a little sound in the forest? _But there it was again, followed by…a cloak dragging on the ground?

It must be someone in league with queen. What other human would be out here with a large cloak? Ariel thought that the wait seemed to last forever, though the shadows from the sun had barely shifted by the time the woman stepped in front of the tree where Ariel hid. The same burn of adrenaline that had gotten her to fight her sisters in the water coursed through her veins, making her heart pound hard. She held her breath so that the woman in a red dress could not hear her.

_Now or never_. Fear and excitement quickened her heartbeat again as she clenched her one good fist. She would take the woman down quickly, using her mermaid strength.

...

Holding the basket tightly, Red cocked her head and listened hard. Again, she felt the sensation that she was being watched. She glanced around. The woods were as she had left them, the same dazzling green in the tall-reaching trees and slightly frost-laden ground. So why did she feel apprehensive? Red stood perfectly still, trying to figure out why she felt someone's eyes on her. She had learned long ago to trust the wolf, to listen to its instincts, and to not question whenever her eyes and ears felt something was amiss. So what was wrong?

Red was still motionless when something lunged out at her, pushing her back and then pinning her to a tree. She dropped the basket she had been carrying at the feel of a small hand wrapping around her throat, choking her. Red could not breathe in the girl's grip, the small fingers were closing into her very neck bones.

"Ariel…please wait!" she gasped out.

"How do you know my name?!" the mermaid tightened her hold briefly. Her blue eyes flashed bravado anger, but Red could smell her fear. The scents of fear and fish were an odd combination.

"Because I'm friends with Snow…," Red stammered as quickly as she could, knowing she would likely not get another chance. She was losing air fast. "I'm not here to hurt you!"

The death grip on her throat suddenly ceased as the shorter girl let go and stepped back, shocked. Red lurched forward, coughing and gasping for air.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I thought you were…" Ariel breathed. The young mermaid ducked her head.

Despite her very sore throat, Red found herself slightly amused. The girl, who had almost throttled her to death, suddenly looked too shy to speak. She could hardly believe this skinny, hundred-pound nothing possessed such a strength.

"I didn't expect to find you out here," Red rubbed her throat, trying to get her voice back. "You've been sleeping for so long I thought…You're stronger than you look." She flushed as she coughed lightly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sneak up and frighten you."

The mermaid's beautiful blue eyes stared up at her from under the shadow of matted red hair. "You didn't, I heard you coming-" She dipped her head, then tried again, apparently overcoming her shyness. "I thought you were with the queen."

Red smiled. "An honest mistake," she managed to croak out.

Ariel seemed to study her for a moment. "My name is Ariel," she said bashfully, holding out her right hand in its makeshift cast for a traditional human-handshake.

Red stopped rubbing her sore neck and took Ariel's hand gently, making sure she did not squeeze the broken article. "Pleased to meet you Ariel. I'm Red."

As introductions were being made, Red's dark hazel eyes could not help but shift downward. She saw that the mermaid had lost her blanket covering in their brief struggle and now stood in front of Red, showing no signs of modesty, without anything on. It was not as though Red had never seen a girl naked before, but the setting of the Enchanted Forest seemed to accentuate the fact.

Ariel was perfectly aware that Red continued to stare at her. At first she could not figure out what was wrong, but then she remembered the human ban against nudity. Apparently the same principle applied to women and men. She glanced down, then hugged her body with one arm, trying to cover herself politely. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you…"

"Offend?" Red managed a grin. "No that's not it at all, it's just—I'm not really sure actually. It must be a human thing."

_Not that I'm really a human,_ she added in her own head.

Red shrugged off her cloak, draping it gently over Ariel's shoulders where it clashed horribly with her red hair. But it was warm and had a nice animal-like smell that Ariel could not quite place. She poked her arms through the holes, trying to immitate Red's movement when she had removed her own arms. She'd never tried on a cloak before. As Red knelt to gather the strewn articles she had dropped, the mermaid sniffed the cloak heavily.

"This cloak," her eyes were almost dreamy. "It's magical isn't it?"

Red tucked the bottle of wine next to the loaf of bread and stood up. "What makes you say that?"

Ariel was playing with the hood, flipping it up and down over her head, giggling like a child. "This is amazing! Such an invention."

"Why do you say that the hood is magical?" It came out more strongly than Red intended, and Ariel shrank down a little. She softened her tone. "I just want to make sure—you're not wrong but I don't want others to know."

Ariel stroked the red material, silently scolding herself for giving away the fact that she could see magic. "I'm sorry, I can't explain it." She bowed her head.

But Red had seen that look before, when she first discovered Snow in her chicken coop, mid egg-snatching. It was a look of wariness and anxiety, the look of one who was being hunted. "You don't trust me yet do you?" She asked the mermaid, but didn't wait for an answer. "Hey, hey, it's alright. I _know_. Snow told me."

Ariel glanced up, trying unsuccessfully to still her fear.

"Hey, I know you're scared." Red said, her voice gentle. "But I want you to know that I'm a friend and I will not hurt you."

A moment passed before the mermaid answered. "The humans who took me, they will want to find me again won't they?" asked Ariel. She had grown quiet, enveloped in Red's cloak that was far too big for her. "They are not going to let this go."

Red started to reach out towards the girl but then stopped, uncertain. Red would have like to have given Ariel a reassuring hug, but she was not sure how mermaids felt about embraces. Red knew this must be hard, she herself had known the fear of being hunted like an animal. Ariel would need help, but to trust humans after what had been done to her…well, she could understand the mermaid's hesitancy. "We'll keep you safe from the queen's men. I promise."

Ariel hugged the warm red cloak tighter, feeling the soft cloth bringing her some comfort. She didn't know how to respond. Too many emotions filled her up: confusion, fear, gratitude, and the unanswered questions from before. She still didn't know what circumstances had brought her there, in the middle of the Enchanted Forest, but mayhap she would get some answers. Later.

"Well...Ariel. We better go," Red said, her forehead lined as she looked up at the sky. "It looks like we might get a storm soon. We should head back, get you dressed."

Surprised, Ariel glanced down at the cloak she was wearing.

Red laughed. "It certainly brings out your hair but I _really_ need that. You can borrow it for now."

…

By the time Snow got back to the cabin, Ariel was gone. Snow sat at the kitchen table, worried about where the mermaid could have run off too.

After seeing Red off and finishing her own breakfast, Snow had gotten out Red's bow and quiver of arrows intent on finding a meal. She knew Red always craved meat after every Wolfstime, but their time with the mermaid had postponed any hunting trips. Now with their guest recovering, moreso than they expected apparently, Snow had thought some fresh meat would be good for the three of them. She had not anticipated the mermaid being well enough to leave though.

Her sense of anxiety caused her to not question the small scratch at the door. She leaped from the stool, more than eager to see Red or the mermaid Ariel.

She quickly unlatched the door, it swung open…and a white wolf stood at the threshold.

A beautiful wolf with a pure white pelage, but a wolf none the less. Standing right outside her door, staring fixatedly up at Snow. Snow felt her heart hiccup at the sight of the large canines, folding over the flesh of a fish, held firmly in the beast's mouth. If it was even possible, she felt even more flabbergasted when the animal simply gave her an acknowledging nod of the head, then trotted past her into the cabin as if it was home. Backing away in fear, Snow gasped as the wolf walked right into the kitchen to deposit its load of fish onto one of the stools. Then it ducked underneath the table, sniffing the ground curiously.

After only a few seconds of standing like that, Snow reached for the spear leaning against the outside door frame. Red always insisted she was best at this weapon and now she prayed that her friend was right. Less than a second later, the white shape re-emerged from under the table…and the Princess Snow White charged and raised her spear.

But before she could swing it, the wolf leaped away with a small yelp. Dodging under her legs, the animal came up right beside her. Scooting backwards, Snow kept the point fixed on the intruder. So long as she kept her back to the cabin walls, the wolf could only attack her from the front and side. Snow dropped her knees into a lunge, thrusting out with the spear. Her attack missed, but the wolf lost its footing as it tried to scramble away, yipping the whole way.

_Whoa, easy there! I'm not an enemy!_ If it was not impossible, Snow could have sworn the she understood that last small yap.

She spun the weapon around her body and swung the end in a lower arch, aiming for the legs of the wolf. The creature jumped over the weapon, colliding with one of the kitchen stools as it leapt, cat-like, into the air and landed on the kitchen table. Snow pulled herself up again, jabbing twice with her spear. The wolf ducked to the side both times, its forepaws nearly on the edge of the table, nails scrapping the old wood as the animal fought to find balance on the wobbly article.

Snow attention was suddenly drawn to those large white paws, reaching to grip the table edges as if they were arms and hands. And suddenly, they _were _arms. Even as Snow watched, the white fur dissolved into human skin. The narrowed canine skull expanded, changing color as it did. The wolf was gone… and a girl, almost a young woman, now crouched on the kitchen table.

A girl with her arms outstretched, gripping the edge of the tables just as the wolf had done. Kneeling in a spring position, she raised her head and fixed onto Snow's eyes. They were a mesmerizing golden color, being a shade lighter than anything Snow had ever seen before. They reminded Snow of the soft light of the sunrise in a clear morning sky. _So unusual_, Snow thought in her haze of confusion.

Before she could try and process this further, the stranger spoke up. "Please wait!"

Snow leveled her spear back up. She was very annoyed that her attention had been shifted and immediately re-launched herself into the offensive. Her last encounter with wolf-people had left her wary, she had almost been ripped a part.

"I'm a friend!" The wolf-turned-girl yelped out. She looked more than ready to bolt, but remained crouching on the kitchen table. Snow was not sure this was because she was too afraid of the spear to move, or simply taking advantage of the higher ground.

"I came to see Red…I was sure that it was the right place," she spoke in hurried, anxious tones. "I didn't mean to scare you! I thought for sure Red told you that…"

"Wait wait, slow down." Snow shook her head lightly, trying to process the stammering. "You know Red?"

"Yes! Now please, will you put that thing down? I don't like weapons."

Snow loosened her grip on the spear, but she was not about to relinquish it until she got to the bottom of this. "Are you from Anita's pack?"

The young one cocked her head, making a confused noise in her throat that reminded Snow of the whine of a small dog. "No, I don't know any 'Anita'. Who is she?"

"Ummm, well that's complicated—but how do you know Red?" Snow asked.

"We met in the woods. I followed her scent here, hoping to see her den. "

The young woman slowly eased herself down onto the floor, warily keeping an eye on Snow's spear point. When she stood on two legs, she was below Snow's own height, but her features were very appealing. Shorter and well-trimmed, but certainly strong, if those sturdy shoulders were any indications. The evening sun shone on her very light brown skin. She wore men's trousers tucked into calf-high boots, a tight leather vest, and a white shirt, a little too large, was draped over her shoulders and tied at the elbows, revealing firm forearms. Her choppy dark hair hung down slightly past her shoulder blades, contrasting against the white shirt. Despite the fact that Snow had seen her as a wolf only a minute ago, there appeared to be nothing abnormal about her appearance. _Except the eyes, _Snow thought. The light amber hue was a anomoly that differed with the rest of her darker features.

The girl suddenly yelped and stared even harder at Snow. Her odd eyes grew amazingly wider. "You! You're _her_ aren't you? The Princess Snow White?" She seemed to have momentarily forgotten her fear, leaning forward and ignoring the spear. "That's strange. Your lips are not as red as blood."

Snow fought a smile at this change of pace. "Now who told you that? Surely Red did not…"

"No, a blue bird told me your story. I've met a few that have traveled wide and they told me your tale. I loved it! It was so exciting!" she exclaimed enthuisiastically. "You're very famous where I come from."

Snow was not sure if she was more surprise to hear: that she had a fan club or that this stranger had heard her story from her feathered friends. She glanced through the window at the trees, feeling inexplicitly overwhelmed at this new pressure of living up to a reputation among her forest subjects. Her blue birds had been her constant companions since childhood, trusted compatriots and worthy messengers when the need arose. At any rate, her statement gave Snow a slight bout of reassurance that the stranger was trustworthy. If her blue birds had indeed talked to her…after a pause, Snow finally lowered the spear.

The young one relaxed noticeably, her shoulders sagging with relief and a small sigh left her lips. Then she smiled good-naturedly. "You know, you're not what I expected. Your name among the humans may be the 'Fairest of them all',—" Snow flinched, she always had hated that label. "—but I think you should be known as the most 'Fearless of them all'."

Snow chuckled softly as she rested the spear on the ground and crossed her arms. Coming from the enthuisiastic young one, it sounded like a very nice compliment and she smiled.

"I get to meet Princess Snow White. This is exciting!" The girl glanced around the cabin. "So where is Red? I brought food to share." She gestured at the two fish lying on the kitchen stool.

"Red is out right now."

"Oh," she said, sounding a little disappointed. Then she turned back to Snow, her head cocked curiously. "Can I ask you something? Why did the Evil Queen send a huntsman to cut out your heart? Wouldn't it have been easier to simply kill you herself?"

Snow was a little surprised. No one, not even Red, had ever asked such personal questions. It was very—forward.

"That's…also complicated," She shook her head and cringed, "Did the birds tell you that?"

"Yes." The young one noticed Snow distress. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that it was… I just loved to hear the stories," she continued timidly, desperate not to scare away her heroine away.

Having been raised in a pack, Rain the wolf had always been taught that mankind was unworthy of her concerns. Wolves had a very prejudicial view of mankind, regarding them as lower creatures of no consequence. But her own experiences with humans - their singular compassions and kindnesses - had caused her to seek out the tales of humans, to find out for herself if these intolerant views of humans were true or not. What she had found instead—stories of adventure, excitement, danger— all the things a wolf was not supposed to wish for. But she dreamed of having a life of such ventures.

"No it's alright," Snow quickly reassured her. Then she had her own questions. "How is it that I could understand you as a wolf? I've never been able to…and why can you be human?"

The questions came rapidly, one after the other, and the young wolf looked perplexed. "Umm…that's a long story," she finally replied, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. She looked almost nervous, as if her own tale could never measure up to Snow's story.

"Well I would love to hear it," Snow said with a smile, leaning the spear against the wall and holding up her hands to show no more spear-thrusting was coming.

The girl blinked, gaping at her role model who had just asked to hear her own tale. Then she beamed. "I can tell it to you. I can tell you about the prince, then his horse, and then the golden mermaid. But she only gave me her voice, the Blue Fairy granted my wish…" She rambled on, clearly unconcerned by how in cohesive and disjointed it all sounded to Snow. The young one may have listened to many tales, but did not seem to have much experience telling them.

Snow was about to ask her to slow down and start from the beginning when suddenly Rain cocked her head and sniffed the air, as an animal would. "Why do I smell the ocean?"

Boot steps resounded from behind the oak door. Snow reached for her spear again, while the girl crouched down, ready to spring. But then a familiar voice called out. "Snow, could you open the door? My hands are full."

* * *

**Happy Solstice everyone! This is the first day of a new season of light; a day of endless possibilities, new adventures to be had, the official first day of winter. **

**For those fanatical fairytale fans like myself- yes, Rain the wolf is based on a character from the German fairytale "The Golden Mermaid" re-told by Andrew Lange in his Green Fairybook. More details soon I promise. **

**A grateful nod of thanks for Nikstlitslepmur for providing inspiring words for this particular chapter and a**** Christmas chapter is right around the corner!**

**Reviews are stockings hung by the chimney with care ;)**

**-sgcycle**


	13. Chapter 13 New Version!

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney. **

**Chapter 13**

Even though Red had said it was only a loan, she had Snow tuck her red hood over Ariel's sleeping form. As soon as dinner had been over, the mermaid could scarcely keep her eyes open. She ended up nearly falling asleep with her head on the table, spilling tea down her front. Snow had to carry her and lay her down on her comforter of furs, where she curled up into a warm ball, and kept right on sleeping.

"She's exhausted, poor thing," Snow commented to Red, seated at the table with Rain the wolf.

Rain looked up from sniffing her cup. "She'll be fine Snow. It will take some time, but mermaids are stronger than they look."

Red had to smile at that, she knew that there was truth to those words. Her neck was still tender from her encounter with the mermaid in the woods and she rubbed it again. Snow had never complained after Quinn had nearly throttled her, but now Red could appreciate on a higher level just how much it left the throat bruised and battered.

"Thanks again for the fish Rain," Snow said. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone so hungry."

It was true. After Red and Ariel came back from their little "mishap", the first thing Ariel seemed to notice was the two plump fish resting on the kitchen stools. She had wiggled off of Red's back (having no shoes for protection, Red insisted upon carrying her), and attempted to reach for the fish when the sight of Snow made her pause.

"You," she breathed, her eyes fixated on Snow.

Snow smiled and held out a hand to her, but Ariel ignored the greeting. She moved forward, pressed herself into Snow, and wrapped her arm tightly around Snow's torso. She was a little surprised, the mermaid's grip was a lot stronger than a typical hug, but Snow enveloped her own arms around the grateful girl and hugged her back. Slowly, Ariel eased her hold and with a deep sigh she drew out of the embrace.

"You saved me," she murmured, her young face shining with gratitude.

"And you saved me," Snow replied with a loving smile, and reached out to cup Ariel's face in her hands.

Ariel dropped her eyes, bashful at the reminder of her own feat. She felt a guilty flush in her chest, and her cheeks began to warm up. "I wasn't planning on it," she admitted. "I was going to leave you…but then I saw the queen's men. And I just…I uh,…I couldn't…."

Red came up from behind, shaking her head. "Don't knock what you did Ariel. You saved Snow's life that day."

Ariel swallowed around the lump in her throat, not knowing what to say to that. "You really think so?" she asked uncertainly, her heart beating faster with an odd-sense of pride.

"Yes," Snow replied. Her eyes grew softer and she took Ariel's left hand in hers, giving it a nice squeeze.

Ariel felt her heart swell with pride and her shoulders straighten with confidence. She didn't understand this feeling of accomplishment, truly, but it was wonderful. Suddenly her eyes went wide and she seemed to be staring at something just behind Snow's back. Snow turned to see Rain, who had remained silent and in the background throughout the exchange.

"I knew I smelled the ocean. And you saved the Princess Snow White!" Rain cheered. "You're a hero mermaid."

Said-hero's eyes narrowed. "You have a mermaid's voice! How did you…did you steal that?" Ariel demanded as she rounded around Snow and came closer Rain. The two younger ones matched each other in height, but the mermaid was far bonier and pale compared to the sturdy and well-toned wolf.

Rain stepped back and raised her hands in a defensive-gesture. "Easy fish-girl. It was a gift, a gift from one of your sisters."

Ariel narrowed her eyes further. Mermaids never 'gave' anything, they only took. Or had things taken from them, like the knights trying to take her tears. "Who gave you her voice?"

"She never told me her name. I did not even know that she had given it to me until the Blue Fairy and I figured it out," the wolf explained. "But I do remember she was very beautiful: long golden hair, amber eyes, smiled all the time like a dolphin…

"Wave!" Ariel exclaimed. Her older sister Wave had disappeared years ago, never heard from or seen again. The talk had been that she had abandoned the pod and now her name was associated with the shame of a failed mermaid. Had that all been a lie? Had she simply left the ocean like Ariel did?

"Wait? You have a mermaid's voice?" Snow spoke up.

"Of course," Rain replied over Ariel's shoulder. "It's why you could understand me…mermaid's can speak every language of the land and sea."

"Mermaid's voices are magical. It makes it easier to lure sailors to their deaths if they are being seduced in their own language," Ariel explained further. "But why would she give you her voice?" Ariel turned back to the wolf, her suspicion clear on her voice.

Rain's nervousness re-appeared; she touched her new-golden eyes at the reminiscences of a past life. "Well…I um,…I helped her and her true love."

"Yes you were about to tell me." Snow said, nodding. "Care to share both of your stories after dinner?" The young ones both needed to eat, the mermaid especially. She looked drastically underfed.

…

Meanwhile, in the dungeons of the Evil Queen's Castle…

"I keep telling you! I don't know any mermaid!" Eric yelled and pounded on the bared door.

It didn't budge the door but it helped his frustrations. He wracked his hands through his choppy black hair for the umpteenth time. How could this have happened? Why the hell had he been arrested?

After waking up on a beach somewhere on the edge of the Enchanted Forest, he had wandered around for days, unconcerned with everything. All he could understand was this pain in his heart, this feeling of emptiness, like he had lost something near and dear to him. He knew his name, he knew where he was from, he knew everything…except what he had missing. He felt so lost and alone. He walked for days, not knowing where he was going but needing to do _something_. He finally got directions from a shepherd, a nice guy who offered him a place to stay for the night. The shepherd had brought him into town, even bought him a meal at a tavern claiming that he did not like eating alone. After he left the tavern, however, heavy footsteps signaled his being followed. He was walking on, slowing his steps when he abruptly turned and something large connected with his forehead, knocking him out cold.

When Eric's eyes finally snapped open, he was surrounding by dark stone on all four sides. The ceiling was open to an overlying chamber, but it was covered with a metal grate. The door was a solid piece of wood with only a small iron grid as a window. He was lying on a simple cot in the barred room. As he slowly sat up and rubbed his sore head, he tried to search his memories for an explanation. He recalled the scuffle with the black knights, the blow to the head, and then this. Why was he a prisoner of the Queen? As far as he was concerned, he'd done nothing. Coming up to the bars, he glanced up and down the dimly lit hallway, seeing other cell windows similar to his. He tugged at the bars, even though he knew that it was a useless effort. He tried kicking the door down, but ended up nearly fracturing his foot. Since he thought himself to be alone, he let out a cry of anguish.

"Are you alright?" an accented voice came suddenly, making Eric jump back. It had come from the cell opposite his, but he could not see anyone.

He approached the bars of his window and called out. "Hello?"

There was a slight shuffling noise, and then a woman came into view in the grated window. She had the look of a prisoner, with a ragged blue shirt, unkempt long brown hair, and a pale face that had not seen the sun in a long time. But what Eric noticed the most was the intelligent, gentle gaze in her eyes, shining across the dark hallways that separated the two of them. She had the look of a clever spirit, which in these settings seemed somewhat sorrowful.

"I asked if you were alright," she repeated. "It sounded like that door put up quite a fight."

Eric had to smile at that. "Well it gave me just cause for injuring it."

The woman smiled too, even managed a little chuckle. To Eric, it sounded like she had not had a reason to laugh in a long time.

His proper upbringing shone through, even without any memories and in a prison. He spoke politely. "My name is Eric and I came from Venn. What's your name?"

"I'm Belle." The woman answered, studying Eric with those large, intellectual eyes. Eric did not mind, he had a feeling that this was how she always looked at other people. Studying, gauging, and learning all she could.

Maybe he could get some answers out of her. "These are the Queen's dungeons right? I was under the impression that simple fisherman are not arrested for treasonous crimes. Why are we here?"

The woman continued to survey him, but it also looked like she was mulling over his questions. He waited patiently. Finally, she spoke up. "Well I think the reason I am here is that she wants to hurt someone through me. Someone I once cared about." Then she had a question of her own. "Why does she keep you here?"

"I don't know!" Eric answered, his exasperation adding a harsh tone to his voice. "I have no idea what she wants from me…all I know is that I was grabbed, knocked out cold, and then I woke up here." Eric fought to compose himself as the frustrations of not understanding any of this boiled in his veins.

"But…you mentioned a mermaid?" Belle asked. "Do you know a mermaid?"

Eric glanced up, recalling the fuzzy memory. Right before his vision faded to black, he thought he had heard the Queen's men say something. Something about a mermaid?

"I'm…not sure," he stammered, completely honest with Belle. "I don't remember a mermaid, but then again…I don't remember a lot of things now."

Her large brown eyes softened with sympathy. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Eric shrugged. Of his past, all he knew was his name and where he was from. But his lack of memories was not such a pressing concern at the moment. As was the obligation for any new prisoner, escape was first priority.

"Well then, Belle. You seem like an intelligent and resourceful lady." For some reason, she blushed bright red when he said it. As if she were not used to compliments about her wits. "And it seems like you and I have one goal in common."

She cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. "What would that be?"

"Getting out."

…

Dinner was a hasty affair. Red set to the task of dressing the rabbit Snow had managed to shoot, while Snow prepared to make a stew. Meanwhile, Ariel glanced back at the fish, then back at Snow, her desire very obvious.

Rain the wolf scooped up one fish and held it out generously. "For you, my friend. I owe a great deal to mer-kind."

Ariel needed no further encouragement. Her teeth, stronger and sharper than any human girl's, pierced the flesh of the raw fish with gusto. She sat down on the floor, Red's cloak puddling around her, and began to eat. Between bites, she mumbled. "Thank you!"

"Wow! I get to meet another mermaid," Rain said excitedly. She crouched on her haunches next to Ariel, leaning so closely their noses almost touched. The other girl must not have thought it odd or did not care; she continued to eat her fish with enthusiasm. They settled into a friendly-enough talk, bordering on tolerance, but at least the mermaid was no longer threatening the wolf.

"Red I have to say, this has been one of the oddest days of my life," Snow whispered good-naturedly to her best friend.

After, the stew was prepared Red and Snow called for an assembly. Ariel was more than satisfied with staying on the floor crunching her meal, but Snow felt that she needed more nourishment than just raw fish. Red offered to help, but Ariel dismissively waved her extended hand off. She stuck the leftover fish into her mouth and rose awkwardly to her feet. It must have been pride that compelled the mermaid to try and get up on her own, the movement seemed anything but natural. Once standing, Ariel skidded sideways, arm flailing in desperation, certain that she was about to end up on the floor. Snow caught her arm just in time and steadied her.

She gave Ariel a reassuring smile. "Whoa! Easy there. Take it slowly, ok? You're still healing."

Ariel pouted as she irritably rubbed the cast covering her right arm. Snow saw her fists clench, she may be a mermaid but she still had the impatience of a teenager.

Rain balked at the idea of eating cooked meat, but with a rising interest, she overcame her wolf upbringing and ended up delighting in the stew prepared by Red. As for Ariel, she fairly shoveled food into her mouth, making Snow conscience even further of what she had been through. They were all hungry, but the mermaid seemed to completely disregard appearances when her appetite set in. Red's hood draped over her shoulders but Ariel did not seem concerned with closing to ends together to cover her body. Being a mermaid, Snow figured that modesty was not an important virtue in her family. Having been dragged through water herself, feeling the clothes tug at her skin with every stroke of Ariel's tail, made Snow understand why mermaids went without clothes. The red cloak also did little to hide the cuts on her wrists and her broken arm, held in a sling that Red had fashioned out of a scarf.

That got Snow to thinking of a spring, many years ago, when she had been a child on a runaway horse and of the woman who had saved her life. Her hair was dark, her smile had been kind, and Snow was full of gratitude; but look where that day had led. A bounty on her head, a captured mermaid, and a cabin in the woods.

"Ariel, how did you come to be in the forest?" she asked cautiously. "What happened?"

Ariel glanced nervously up, instincts telling her to shut herself in and not breathe a word. What if she told her story and they took advantage? But then…something in Snow's gentle green eyes made her change her mind. She had saved her, and then carried her to safety. If this woman who had protected her life trusted the other two, then it must be alright. They appeared trustworthy, almost like a family. With a heavy sigh, Ariel related her tale. She left nothing out: the Dark One and his deal, the lost voice, Eric and his family, and finally losing Eric. She hesitated at talking about their kiss in the ocean, but somehow she knew that Snow would guess what she did.

At one point, Red interrupted. "How is it that you have legs now if your three months were up?"

"After I explained everything to Ursula, she punished me by making me a human." Ariel admitted. "It was thought to be a horrific punishment. I told her how much walking hurt me."

"So…you have a tail when you're wet?" Snow asked. That would explain why her tail had simply dissolved away after Ariel had pulled herself out of the lake water.

Ariel nodded a 'yes'. She then finished her story by explaining how a week after losing Eric, she had stumbled onto shore…only to be captured by the queen and taken to the lake. The rest was well known.

"That queen has got to be stopped!" Red stated adamantly as she shook her head hard. "She can't treat people like this."

Rain nodded. "I knew royalties acted funny, but this…" She flushed, apparently remembering her company as she turned to Snow. "I'm sorry, I should not stereotype." She looked towards the fire in the hearth, her animal eyes glowing in the light. "My own experiences with royal families have been somewhat unconventional."

"Well…what experience is that?" Snow asked. "What is your story?"

Rain shifted again, and strummed her hands nervously on the table. But finally, she began:

"In another land, there was a powerful king who had a golden tree in his garden that bore beautiful golden fruit. But the King was never able to enjoy his treasure, because the fruit was always stolen. When the two older sons were sent to find this thief, the youngest son begged to go as well. His father gave him the most wretched horse in his stable, because he was certain his son would fail. So he set out, amongst the jeers of his family."

Rain, caught up in her story whined softly, deep in her throat. "I found him next to his dying horse, along the road. In my pack's last hunt, I was not allowed any share. I was so hungry…"

"You didn't eat the prince?" Snow asked hurriedly.

"Of course not! Humans taste terrible"—both Ariel and Red visibly flinched—"I ate his horse," Rain continued as if it was nothing.

"Afterwards, he asked me to help him. Just like that...right after I'd eaten his mount," Rain said. In a softer voice she added, "I wanted to help him, but I hesitated. Humans are considered unworthy creatures, but he looked so lost and scared…"

"And you were afraid of what your pod would think?" Ariel asked understandably. She remembered the sailor, dying by Marina's fangs, and sighed sadly.

"Yes, but I chose to risk it. I'd always dreamed of adventure. We traveled together and he heard of a neighboring emperor with a beautiful golden bird in a cage, and that this was the creature who stole the golden apples. The prince attempted to slip in to steal the bird, but was caught. I tried to fight the guards to help him escape, but he was taken away."

"The Emperor was convinced that hanging was far too good for the young prince, so his punishment was to perform some very difficult task, under pain of death. The Emperor had a neighbor, who was also a mighty Emperor, possessing a golden horse. The prince was told to steal this horse and bring it back, but he was caught again."

"This guy must have been a clumsy thief," Snow could not help but point out.

"Yes, he was! I tried to tell him how to not get caught but he did not listen." Rain said with exasperation.

"The second Emperor decided that the prince's life was to be spared only on the condition that he should obtain possession of the golden mermaid. After I broke him out of his cell, I reminded the prince that he had failed twice now, and that he should have me help him. We came to the sea and went out on a boat. Soon, we saw the golden mermaid swimming near, beckoning and calling him to follow her. I came up with a plan and told her that she must come to him. With these words, the prince turned the ship round and steered back towards the land. The mermaid came on board."

"This caused her to follow him?" Red asked dubiously.

Ariel bit her lip shyly and explained. "Mermaids find themselves even more draw when their prey rejects them. She probably was not able to resist the temptation."

"Exactly," Rain agreed with a nod. "The prince and I talked with her. When she saw that I meant her no harm, all three of us returned to the palace of the Emperor. He gave over all rights to the mermaid and gave the prince the golden horse as well. The three of us rode back to the other emperor, who was also so impressed he gave the prince the golden bird and threw the two of them a feast."

"I've heard this story," Snow said. "There was talk in my father's court about a mermaid who became human to be with her prince. But…I thought it was just a story."

Rain grinned. "Just because it's a story, doesn't mean it's not true…eh, Snow White, _Fairest of them All_?"

Snow grimaced and smiled. "Go on please?"

Here, Rain gave a small growl, showing her anger. "I snuck into the feast to say good-bye. But then I heard that when the prince returned to his father's kingdom, his brothers found him and in their jealousy killed him, taking the golden bird and the golden horse. But the mermaid escaped and would not leave him. That's how I found her, all alone in a groove of trees, watching over him like he was still alive."

Red, Snow, and Ariel all waited with bated breaths, very caught up in the story.

"I tried to comfort her, but she was so sad. I wished with all of my heart that I could do something to help them both, to save him," Rain paused and whined again, apparently overcome with the memories.

"I suggested we cover him, as is only right for a fallen companion. She and I gathered leaves and placed him in his final resting place. Then the strangest thing…one of her tears fell into his mouth…then I breathed on him…and the prince was no longer dead but sleeping! The mermaid woke him with a kiss, and we went back to the palace. The king heard his tale, banished the two evil brothers, and the prince and mermaid married. I hid in the back, and watched their wedding. Afterwards, they both approached me, thanking me for all that I had done. The mermaid...I didn't understand it at the time, but in her gratitude to me for helping to save her true love...she gave me her voice." She looked up, slightly self-conscious. "Am I telling it well?"

"Very well," Snow reassured her.

"Afterwards, my pack rejected me. I was already an omega but now…"

"What's an 'omega'" Ariel interrupted.

Red flinched, thinking of her brief time in Anita's pack. "Traditionally, there are alpha, beta, and omega wolves in every wolf pack. The alphas are at the top, betas in the middle, and omegas at the bottom of the hierarchy order. The rest of the pack picks on the omegas."

Rain winced and stroked her left sleeve, touching the pale scars that ran across her forearm. "Yes. I was already at the bottom of the pack but after I obtained a mermaid's voice… the increased beatings by my superior pack members…I could not stay because all thought me a traitor." Rain spoke softly, with an almost regretful tone. She related to the three how she had saved the Blue Fairy's life, was chased off by Rumplestiltskin, only to be reunited with the Blue Fairy again and granted one wish.

"You wished to be human?" Ariel asked. She seemed to be hanging on to every word the young wolf was saying, hanging on with anticipation.

"Not exactly," Rain gave a practiced shrug that looked almost normal. "I asked if I could transform into a human."

"Why?"

The golden orbs of the wolf looked knowingly into the mermaid's dark blue eyes. "The same as you I imagine…I wanted to have more out of life." Her gaze shift as she glanced at Snow to her right. "Humans have such adventures, are able to take journeys, see places, do things…I wanted that. And so I asked for the ability of change."

All were silent as the story of Rain the wolf ended, each caught up in their own thoughts. But none were more captivated than Ariel. The story seemed like a fantastical fairytale of impossibility and wonder, not the golden horse or the golden tree but the mermaid that fell in love. It was possible for her kind to love, for someone had done it before her! She had not considered finding Eric because she had convinced herself he was better off without her. But the wolf's story had struck a chord within her. Could she find him and convince him to love her again? Could she do as this golden mermaid had done?

The sun was very low now. The corners of the room gathered shadows and the small fire seemed to grow brighter. Since the story had ended, the howling winds and temperature drop outside was more noticeable. A rough winter storm was building in the Enchanted Forest.

"Rain, you are going to stay here tonight," Red added hurriedly. It would be crowded this evening, with two wolves, a mermaid, and a human. But the alternative of sending their friend out into the woods in this storm, not to even be considered.

Snow shared her feelings. "Absolutely," she said firmly. "And you—" Snow nodded at Ariel. "—you need to get to sleep. You're still healing."

"She didn't have any problem earlier when she tried to kill me." Red pointed out, a note of humor in her voice.

"What? I said I was sorry! I didn't mean to—" Ariel caught herself. "Oh. You're teasing me aren't you?"

Red grinned. "Yes I am"

When Snow pressed some warm tea onto her, Ariel tried to resist, but finally drank it. Apparently, she wanted to stay up and talk more to Rain, ask her questions about the golden mermaid. But Snow conducted her to her fur pallet in the corner of the cabin and laid her gently down. "Go to sleep," she said . Then even more soothingly, "Rest now." Ariel's heavy eyes obeyed Snow's insistence.

Rain joined Ariel soon afterwards. She became a wolf to sleep, curled up onto the floor next to Ariel, her white fur shining in the firelight. The transformation was so sudden Snow did not have time to be surprised: one second she was a girl, the next she was a small white wolf. She snuggled close to the mermaid, sighing with complete content. The other girl simply rolled over, curling into herself.

Later that night, as Snow lay on her own small cot, a funny thought occurred to her. Of the four people sleeping under the roof tonight, she was the only human. Somehow though, the idea did not bother her one bit.

…

As Ariel settled into a new life in exile with Snow and Red, she was surprised to discover how many more things she could learn about humans simply because she could ask specific questions now. Her voice was becoming bolder, with a hint of confidence more becoming a normal teenage girl. Even her walking was better, Snow took it upon herself to help Ariel regain her sense of balance. She even taught her how to do some ballroom dancing! She was a patient teacher, always ready to catch the mermaid when she fell and give her much-needed words of encouragement.

Ariel also learned so many new and fascinating things about the state of the kingdom through her conversations with Snow and Red. Previously, she had not thought much about life outside of her quiet village existence but now, she understood the human world was much bigger and more complicated than she could have imagined. She agreed with Red whole heartedly: Snow would make a great queen one day.

Snow and Red learned a lot too, about Ariel and about mermaids in general. Even about the deadly nature of the beautiful, but savage creatures known by all to be the siren's of the sea.

The evening after their dinner with Rain the wolf, Snow had Ariel drink two cups of cold tea laced with herbs to dull the pain. Despite the fever being gone, her wounds still needed attention and care.

"I'm going to have to bath your wounds Ariel," she explained. The two of them were sitting cross legged on Ariel's makeshift mattress of blankets and furs. "It will hurt, but I need you to hold still or your wrist will not heal." She ducked her head and looked intently at the mermaid's dark azure eyes. "Can you do that for me?"

Ariel pushed a strand of her matted red hair back over her ears and nodded slowly. She tugged the sleeve of her oversized shirt up and generously offered Snow her right hand.

Snow very slowly undid the splint. "It helps if you talk while I do this." She rinsed a cloth out in the wooden bowl filled with clean water. After wringing it out, she began cleaning the wounds on Ariel's wrists. "Why don't you tell me about life under the sea?"

Ariel was bravely trying not to be sick at the feeling of Snow's contact. She did not like to complain when people were trying to take care of her, so she didn't say anything about how much it hurt her broken bones when her wrist was shifted. Mermaids never complain about anything. When she lived in the sea, Ariel had only complained to herself when she believed her queen was being unfair—and when she felt like the whole world was against her.

She mulled over Snow's question for a moment. "Life in the sea is...beautiful," she answered, quite honestly. "There are most wondrous trees and plants that grow there, with stalks and leaves that sway when the water touches them. All of the colorful fish, big and small, swim amongst the trees as if they were the birds of the surface world. There are gardens of bright red and dark blue corals, with fish moving to and from, and the ground is the finest sand, but blue as a fire's flame. There is a light blue tint on everything really."

Snow smiled. "It sounds amazing." She slowly started to rewind the bandages.

"It...was," the little mermaid sighed. "But so...lonely. I mean, I was surrounded by my sisters wherever we went but, I never really...belonged. More than anything, I loved to hear the stories of the world of humans above. I kept asking the herons and the pelicans to tell me all they knew about villages and towns, people and animals. And then I wanted to hear about all the places to go and the...ouch!"

Snow had unintentionally hit a sore spot. She quickly apologized, "I'm sorry Ariel." She glanced up at the mermaid but quickly did a double take when she saw the fangs.

Ariel managed to hiss only once before forcing the incisors back to their normal shape. "Snow...I...I didn't mean...I'm sorry, I would never…" Unexpectedly, she hung her head. It looked as if she was trying desperately not to cry.

"No, no it's alright Ariel," Snow reassured her as she quickly finished resetting the splint. She pulled the teenager close in an embrace. "It's alright."

"No, it's not! I _hate_ that mermaids are so deadly. I hate it!" She buried her head into Snow's shoulder. "We kill so many people and ruin so many lives by capsizing ships and destroying people's livelihoods. What good can ever come out of something like me?"

"Good has already come out of you Ariel." Snow stroked the mermaid's head soothingly. "You saved Eric's life, you protected his family, and you saved my life. Most people would not have risked coming back after being set free."

Ariel, feeling an inexplicable comfort in the embrace, dismissed Snow's comment with a light shrug. "It did not feel right, leaving you like that."

Snow dabbed away the remnant of a tear as it rolled down Ariel's cheek.

"Whatever you or other mermaids are capable of does not change that you are a good person. What matters is that you are brave and saved other's lives, even when you had the chance to flee. Now come on...," she gave Ariel a light tap on the shoulder. "I've got something that will cheer you up."

She rose and put the wooden bowl away. "I was planning on making a fire and warming some water. If you'd like, I could give you a bed bath—I don't know if you know what that is, with a soapy cloth and a bucket of warm water. We don't have a tub. I can do it as soon as Red gets back with the pail."

Ariel glanced up from her cross-legged position on the floor, her eyes wistful at the idea of feeling clean and refreshed. She had not had a bath in weeks and she felt as if she needed one more than the medicine she had to take. Mermaids are not used to having dirt and other substrates sticking, the ocean was constantly bathing, so being clean was something Ariel always longed for.

"Snow, if that is possible…I would love it, and as soon as I am better, I will go and lure a handsome sailor boy for you."

Snow chuckled and said, "There is no need for the sailor Ariel, truly." She cocked her head. "But I will be satisfied with no more talk about your hating what you are."

Yes, many lessons learned. But one of the strangest ones yet involved live trees being brought into the cabin.

One evening, a couple of weeks after Ariel had arrived, Snow hauled in boughs of evergreens and even a small live cone tree, cut at the base into the cabin. At first Ariel thought the tree was for the fire, but why the boughs? To her constant stream of questions, Snow had smiled and only said they would explain later.

"What is this?" she asked.

Snow grinned excitedly. "You'll see Ariel. It's a surprise!"

Perplexed, Ariel rolled up the sleeve of her faded blue shirt and scratched at her cast. It was much smaller and more flexible than her previous one, but still itched at most inconvenient times. She surveyed the tiny tree, walking in a circle. It looked small and scraggly, she would have past it without a second thought if she were walking in the forest gathering firewood.

"Excuse me, I'm not sure I understand," Ariel irritably reminded Snow that evening, "In case you've forgotten, I happen to have a bad history of surprises."

Snow smiled apologetically, reminded of the mermaid's past mishaps. How many times she must have wanted to ask questions but could not, because she had no voice? Not wanting to keep her in the dark, Snow figured how to explain all of it.

She patted the little tree fondly. "This is a solstice tree. Today is the solstice, the longest night of the year. Red and I thought we'd make the cabin more presentable for such a celebration."

"But, Red is gone…" Ariel pointed out. "She left several nights ago." Rain was away too, no doubt recklessly seeking out adventures.

"Yes, she went back to her village to visit her grandmother," Snow explained. "They'll both be here soon enough though. The solstice is a time for being with family to celebrate the coming of spring and warmer, brighter days."

"So…you do that by bringing a live tree into the house?" Ariel asked incredulously.

Snow let out a small laugh. "I know it sounds crazy but yes, it symbolizes the triumph of green life over snowy winters. The ancients also used holly and mistletoe as symbols of eternal life, and placed evergreen branches over doors to keep away evil spirits. Today, we bring in a tree to…well, to sort of celebrate the end of winter and the coming of spring."

"A plain little tree symbolizes all of that?" Ariel questioned skeptically.

"No of course not! We'll decorate the tree by putting bright strings of beads, or glass ornaments, or…"- here Snow paused, as if reevaluating her words -"But I suppose those would be things we would use at the Winter Palace, and not necessarily here," she corrected herself softly as she glanced around.

Ariel understood her hesitation, there did not seem to be anything of the decorating nature in their small homely cabin. At least, nothing that would be as elegant as the decorations from the household of a royal princess.

But Snow's face brightened up. "I'll be right back. We'll see what the forest has to offer." With that, she wrapped her cloak around herself and went out, leaving Ariel standing looking dubiously at the little tree.

Ariel cast her sharp eyes about the room. It was true, the setting seemed cheery with woven boughs of evergreens and long hanging cloths of red and gold salvaged from a rag pile from the village. Fresh pinecones were strung across the hearth, there were bunches of red holly berries weaved into strands, and even the smell of the cabin had changed to the fresh aroma of evergreen tree. Snow seemed to really enjoy the thought of having this "solstice" celebration. Ariel had had doubts about the Harvest Festival, but ended up enjoying it so very much. Why not this crazy winter holiday?

Still, the little solstice tree looked like it needed some sprucing up. But what could she use? As Ariel glanced around for some material, a sudden inspiration came over her. What a nice surprise it would be for Snow!

She quickly undid her simple rope belt, and slid out of her oversized blue shirt. Carefully lying down on the dirt floor, she grabbed the pitcher of water Snow always kept on the kitchen table and unceremoniously dumped the entire contents onto her bare legs. Her skin faded, the bones reset themselves, and Ariel was lying on the cabin floor with her tail slapping hard against the ground. She quickly twisted her body, lifting up her tail until it scrapped down the edges of the kitchen table. A few emerald and pale blue scales fell to the floor. Gathering these up, then using a string and her sharp incisors to make holes, she strung the scales together and started wrapping the cords around the little tree. She finished and eased herself backwards to admire her work. It was actually a very nice little tree at that! Maybe all it needed was a little love.

Ariel had wet her tail again and was starting on more strings of scales when Snow returned. "Ariel! What are you...?" Then Snow caught sight of the glistening little tree, all decorated with the emerald, aqua, and turquoise scales of Ariel's mermaid tail. Her eyes sparkled, as much as the little solstice tree, with sheer happiness. "Ariel it's beautiful!"

The mermaid grinned timidly. "I always shed scales, now they can be put to use." She finished the strand in her hands, and then rocked herself towards the holly hanging by the fireplace.

Snow tried not to stare rudely, but the sight itself was a little eerie. Ariel used her left arm to raise her torso and moved herself forward as a snake would, coiling then uncoiling her long, muscular tail. After stringing the last strand of scales, Ariel gripped the kitchen table and pulled herself upright, studying the room. The strands of garland, the evergreen boughs, and even the holly bunches were all decorated with the shiny scales from Ariel's tail.

"I think this solstice holiday is very nice Snow," Ariel said. She was eye-level with Snow now, her long tail bent to keep her erect.

Snow tore her eyes away from the sight and beamed at the mermaid. "Yes, it truly is…and it'll be even better now that you're here."

Granny and Red arrived shortly afterwards, bearing a meat pies, bread, cheese, and even some delicious apple cider. The celebration was simple, but much appreciated by all. It seemed to Ariel that they had, indeed, become like a family celebrating the holidays. Living as exiles had bonded them. Their shared experiences of struggles and triumphs had united them in a way she now cherished.

Snow, always so encouraging and kind, was like a proud big sister to her, and her initial hostile attack towards Red had smoothed out into a friendship. Even Rain, when she had a chance to visit, was like a long lost companion. She could jolly anyone with her comical wolfie antics. Yes, she loved this life as both a human and a mermaid. And yet, there was only thing that might have been missing…

**Hello all! I hope everyone had a very wonderful holiday season filled with glad tidings and family and friends!**

**Note: The story of Rain the wolf is derived from "The Golden Mermaid" Fairytale re-told by Andrew Lange in his Green Fairybook. I, of course, took several creative liberties to make the character my own which I truly hope you enjoyed. **

**Stay tuned! Another adventure is coming to the little mermaid along with appearances by more of our favorite "Once Upon…" characters.**

**Reviews are New Year's Eve presents so be generous!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney. **

**Chapter 14**

**...**

"Hurry up and do my hair _Cinderella_!" Drizella's already short-temper was drastically being tested by an incompetent servant.

So-called servant scrambled to obey. Ella rubbed her grimy hands hard on the worn apron she wore, trying unsuccessfully to remove the dirt smudges from the wood she had just hauled in. The fire had to be extra-big today because Anastasia had demanded a hot bath, the second one in two days, right after Ella served dinner and before she had to dust the hall. Chopping the extra wood in this cold weather was rough work, but at least she could warm up next to the fire as she prepared the bath water.

Now however, she was being called away to do up her other stepsister's hair. "Yes Drizella," she said as her nimble fingers worked expertly, wounding up the golden curls into a hair twist.

Her stepsister shrieked bloody-murder. "Not that tight!" Before Ella could correct her mistake, the younger girl whirled around and shoved her away. "You ugly clod! You're so clumsy and stupid," Drizella snapped at her piercingly.

The words had very little sting. All her life, Ella had been called much worse.

But her stepsister wasn't finished. "I bet your mother took one look at you and just keeled over flat, dead as a doornail. You probably brought her to an early grave by your ugly face!"

_That_ struck a nerve. Ella's head snapped up, forgetting for a moment to look pathetic and weak. The idea that her stepsister would sullen the name of her mother was too much. "How _dare _you!" she thought incredulously, trying hard to still her face so as not to show her fury.

She clenched her fists, commanding herself not to punch Drizella's ugly mug of a face right in. If she did such a thing, she would have to face her stepmother's wrath, again. Thankfully, her stepsister was so absorbed in reapplying her rogue she did not notice Ella's furious demeanor.

She calmed herself with her usual count to five, then tried to stroke a soft silver brush through Drizella's curls. This time, the blast of fury included a hard slap to the face and Ella backed a few steps, clutching the offending brush in her hand. Her feelings must have shown on her face because Drizella broke her ranting off and peered right at her. Like any good bully, she continued to pound the weak points. "Your mother was nothing more than a sorry-excuse of a slip who dared marry about her station. She was common and you are even more common!"

Ella kept her head bowed, but could not stop her words. "Do _not_ speak of my mother," she clenched her teeth and hissed out the command.

"WHAT! What did you say cinder-wench?" Drizella shrieked stridently.

Mortified, Ella fled out of the bedroom, down the hall, and through to the kitchen. The voracious voice of her stepsister called out, but she ran through the outer door and into the snow-covered back grounds of the estate. She shivered and wrapped her arms tightly around her thin frame as the tears poured down her cheeks. What had she done? How could she have talked back like that? This was surely going to lead to her being turned out of her home. She'd spent enough time starving in the streets to know that it was to be avoided at all costs, even her dignity.

Her father had died when she was only ten, her stepmother placed her in the maid's position shortly thereafter. She'd tolerated the abuse as long as she could, but a year ago she finally got the courage to try and leave. It had happened right after she'd dropped a hot plate, shattering the expensive porcelain right in front of her stepmother. The plate had been so hot, her fingers were burning, but the Lady Tremaine would not hear of any excuses. She had dealt Ella a _very_ hard beating that evening. After she'd run away, Ella had roamed the streets, begging for food, sleeping in barns and sheds. She'd met a friend on the road, someone who was also on the run, but ultimately had to come back to her father's estate. She had nowhere else to go.

And right now…she needed a plausible excuse for a walk in the wintery woods, something to get away just for a little while. But what…oh, yes winterberries! Her stepmother loved them with a passion and if she had the justification of fetching some she could take several hours to herself in the woods. Ella rubbed her cold forearms hard and ran to the stables to grab an old wicker basket, pausing long enough to give Bruno the blood hound an affectionate pat on the head and wrap herself in an old horse blanket. She had no winter coat.

"Watch over things while I'm gone," she commanded the old dog. He complied with a hearty tail wag.

Navigating her way to the edge of the woods, Ella picked her a way off of the beaten path and onto an animal trail. The little light that made it through the canopy of trees highlighted the white of the spring snow, making Ella squint at the glare. She made her way quietly, with only the occasional singing of birds breaking the silence. It was so nice just for things to be quiet: no one order her around, calling her bad names, and soiling her family's name. She tilted her head up to breath in the moist, cold air, relishing the solitude.

As she hiked in the white woods, Ella silently started scolding herself for her lack of control earlier. She had almost punched her little stepsister. Mostly she tried to pay attention to her chores and keep her head down, like any other respectable servant girl. But lately she'd been so…distracted. That morning she'd heard some awful news and it was still affecting her demeanor.

"Ariel…Eric…what happened to you guys?" she voiced her worries out loud to the tall snow-covered pines of the forest.

It had been easier not having friends, but it made her life a lot more lonelier. What was the good of having friends if you could not be with them? And when bad things happened to your friends and you could not do a thing about it, it was one of the worst feelings in the world.

…

"Can't I help too?" Ariel asked for the umpteenth time.

Snow rolled her eyes and answered. "For the last time…no!"

"You're bossy sometimes," Ariel commented as they strolled together along the deer path that snaked through the Enchanted Forest. "But I like you."

Snow and Ariel were moving out of the cabin and trying to find another hiding place. Red had reported that she'd spotted trackers in the woods, trackers with the insignia of the Queen stitched onto their vests. It could only mean that Queen Regina was getting more desperate to find Snow White if she was relying upon more hired swords. The news had not been well-received, but Snow and Red both knew what it meant. Time to move again, the cabin in the woods was no longer safe. And Ariel was coming with them. Granny had come down with winter flu and Red was staying with her for a while, caring for her elderly loved one and hiding at the same time.

Ariel stumbled along, trying hard not to show how walking hurt her. Her legs had been giving her pains but she figured it was because she only had rags tied to her feet for shoes, it was all they could manage for now. The rest of their supplies were in a canvas bag, slung over Snow's shoulders. The former princess had adamantly insisted on carrying everything herself even though Ariel continually pointed out that she was the stronger.

The two of them hiked on, stopping by a large lake to take a drink and rest for a bit. Snow kept watch warily while Ariel searched among the shore brambles for crabs. But then she stiffened up, her attention fixated on something on the ground in front of her.

"What is it?" Snow came over quickly, then gasped at the sight.

A human skeleton, its empty eye sockets riveted upward, was propped up onto the ground. An old, decimated tree branch protruding from the sternum, revealed the cause of death and the origins of the remains. It was the guard that had tried to stab Snow, those many weeks ago. Snow shuddered at the gapping toothy grimace, she could still remember how the knight had breathed right into her face using that same mouth.

When Snow saw Ariel lean to take a closer look, she gently drew her away, turning the teenager's head from the corpse. "Oh my...don't look Ariel," she whispered as she quickly stepped between Ariel and the corpse, trying to shield her young charge from the gruesome sight.

But Ariel pulled out of Snow's protective embrace, walked over to the ghastly remains, and knelt down right next to them. "Why not? It's only bones. Why should we not look at it?

The calm way in which she spoke of such things heaved Snow's stomach a little. Sometimes she forgot that Ariel was not human, had actually _eaten _people before. The stories of mermaids never mentioned that. Whenever she said or did things, not wrong things, but things that were not…well, normal, it still surprised Snow. She looked so delicate, so sweet and innocent, and acted like a naïve child most of the time. The tales of mermaids had gotten _that _part right. But right now, a human corpse did not seem to bother her one bit while Snow was utterly horrified by the sight.

Ariel turned around and rose to her feet. She saw some of Snow's uneasiness and her face saddened a little. "I'd never…killed anyone before."

"Hey,…you…you didn't have a choice." Snow said, somewhat more bleakly than she intended.

Ariel shook her head and looked down at her hands, as if she still saw the man's blood on them. "It was so easy…like poking a stick through the mud. Killing sickens me."

"No, no…it...it was not your fault." Snow tried to show that she understood, almost.

Ariel was still looking very distressed, so Snow gently took her shoulder. "Hey Ariel, you saved my life remember? That is more than enough to show anyone that you are a good person. No matter what you might have done in your past, always remember that. Okay?" Snow ducked her head, fixating her eyes on Ariel's deep dark-blue orbs.

Glancing up, Ariel felt a surge of gratitude for Snow. She always had a way of cheering her up and it was a connection of comfort that the mermaid treasured dearly. After hearing her words, Ariel managed a small smile. After a pause, she turned back to the bony remains and knelt down, her brow furrowed with a thought. With her back turned towards Snow she could not see what was happening but a crunching noise suggested that Ariel was pulling the dead man's boots off. The mermaid sat on the ground and pulled the black leather articles over her own feet, completely oblivious to Snow's shock. When she finally got them on, the leather ends coming all the way up to her bony knees, she rose and looked up at Snow.

"What?" she asked innocently in response to Snow's stunned look. "He does not need them anymore."

Snow tried hard not to show her unease at what Ariel had just done. "Um,…that's true." She glanced down at the boots, too large for Ariel's skinny legs, but they would certainly offer more protection than those rags. It occurred to Snow that Ariel did not know much about being human. Stripping a corpse, even for practical purposes, tended to be frowned upon.

"The armor is in good condition. Do you want it?" Ariel asked, still untroubled.

"No! Gods no!" Snow could not help her exclamation. The last thing she wanted to see was Ariel strip the bones, exposing all of its decaying remains right in front of her.

Ariel cocked her head and was about to retort with her own remark when she swiveled her face upward, listening to the forest. "I hear something."

Snow glanced up too. All she heard was the swaying of trees, the rustling of foliage, and the occasional drip of water as icicles melted. But if Ariel said she heard something, Snow trusted her.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"I'm not sure," Ariel answered. Closing her eyes to concentrate, her forehead wrinkled with the effort. "It sounds like someone coming towards us. But not one of the queen's men, almost like a …" She suddenly let out a laugh, startling Snow so much that she jumped.

"I know who it is!" Ariel took off in a sprint, her too-large boots clunking very loudly on the forest floor.

"Ariel! Ariel wait!" Snow scooped down and grabbed the canvas bag with their supplies, throwing it over her shoulder as she scurried to follow. The mermaid could be walking into a trap and yet she leaped forward like a dolphin, regardless of the danger. Not the best response in the Enchanted Forest. Snow would have to teach the teenager how to be more careful.

…

Ella had found a batch of winterberries, so she felt relatively assured she would not be punished when she got back to the estate. Her fingers were clumsy with cold but she did not stop until her basket was full. The endurance she'd developed in her years of hard, grueling work under her stepfamily's reign served her well whenever she went into the forest, searching for edibles. This was a lot farther than she had ever hiked; she had needed the extra time to compose herself before she faced her stepfamily again.

Since she was concentrating so hard on the task at hand, she did not notice the mermaid running full speed towards her until …"_Ella_!" Something red flashed against the white background of the snowy forest and then Ella stumbled back, the force of a tremendous hug engulfing her chest.

No, it could not be. She had been wishing and longing for company and now, like something out of a dream, a figure had emerged from the Enchanted Forest. "Ariel?" Ella could hardly believe it; she had not seen her friend in so long. "Ariel…you… you can talk?" It was not the most intelligent thing to say, but it was the first thing that came to mind.

"Ella! You're here!" Ariel squeezed harder, forcing Ella to gasp for breath at her strength. "I've missed you. I wanted to come back to see you, but I never got the chance."

Ella goggled stupidly at the sight of Ariel's mouth moving and words coming out. Her red-headed friend looked…odd. She was clad only in an over-sized man's shirt, it's faded blue edges hanging down to her knees with a simple rope belt securing the article and leather boots that looked several sizes too big.

Ariel reached down, fumbling for the basket lying amongst the berry bushes, afraid she had crushed it. "I'm so sorry," she said. "Your basket."

"The hell with my basket!" Ella exclaimed, her hands reached out and grabbed Ariel's shoulders affectionately. "What happened to you? How come you never spoke before? Where have you been? You just…disappeared, and then…" Ella suddenly looked past the mermaid's head, caught sight of Snow hiking towards them, and let out a squeal of sheer delight that startled Ariel a little. Her blonde friend had a habit of making peculiar noises when she was happy.

Before Ariel could ask what was going on, Snow rushed forward and pulled the younger girl in a wholehearted embrace saying happily, "Ella! It's so good to see you again."

A dazzling smile outshone the dirt smudges on Ella's face as she relished the warmth of the hug. "Snow! What are you doing here?" the girl asked, turning around and addressed her question to both the mermaid and the princess.

"Ariel launched herself towards you. I assume you both know each other?"

Ariel spoke animatedly, "We met a long time ago. Back when I first came on shore."

Ella narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Came ashore? What does that mean?" She gave a light chuckle and grinned at the thought of a gag. "Are you a sailor or something?"

"No, a mermaid," Ariel said nonchalantly.

Ella laughed whole-heartedly, enjoying the good joke before realizing that neither Snow nor Ariel was laughing as well. Her smile slowly faded as her light sapphire eyes grew inhumanely wide. "Oh…," was all she could think to say.

As the 'Little Mermaid' related her tale to 'Cinderella', Snow White studied the young blonde. She looked much the same as the last time they had met a year ago, after Snow had escaped the Huntsmen and before she met Red. Overworked, underfed, but with the spunkiness that would not be defeated. They both had been runaways on the streets, Ella from her stepfamily and Snow from the Evil Queen. Snow had not told Ella who she was then, for the sake of precaution, but the young maid had guessed it right away after she saw the Queen's wanted posters.

"I was trying to get away from my stepfamily for a while," Ella was explaining to Ariel. "I believe 'ugly-clod' and 'cinder-wench' were the terms my stepsister used this time"

"Really?" Ariel's dark blue eyes, so soft a minute ago, hardened instantly. "That blowfish would not know such grace and beauty as yours if it hit her over the head with a shark tail."

Surprised at the odd choice of words, Ella glanced bewilderedly at her friend. Then she broke into a smile and started laughing shyly. Gods it felt so _wonderful _to laugh and be with others. She had been feeling so alone, so forgotten lately, but now, the other two brought her such pleasure and happiness. Still, they didn't have to exaggerate things to make her feel better. Her voice grew meek again, "You needn't say such things Ariel. I know I'm no great beauty and not the best worker…I mean, I still haven't managed to get my father's workshop in order but…"

"That is not true," Snow said firmly, suddenly breaking into the conversation as she stepped towards Ella.

Surprised at the strong tone in her voice, Ella glanced up at her other friend. Snow put her hand on Ella's shoulder and fixated her gaze onto the younger woman, intent that she understood something. "Your stepfamily doesn't appreciate you but one day, you will change your life and things are going to be different. You have strength and courage, more so than many people I've met. And on top of that…you're beautiful, in here"—Snow touched the resting place of Ella's heart—"and up here." She stroked Ella's cheek.

Ella let out a weak laugh and wiped her face intently, fighting to compose herself. Anger and spite she could handle, but kindness and compassion cut through her self-control so easily. It left her blubbering like an idiot.

Snow embraced her once again, then drew back, keeping her hands on Ella's shoulders. She looked at Ella's worn tunic top and patched skirt with a stern, disapproving eye. "Ella you're out here in the cold without even a coat. What is wrong with that horrible stepmother of yours!"

"My stepfamily runs the household incomes. I've been saving up a few coins to buy a winter cloak but…" Ella said.

"Family!" Snow practically spat the word out and stroked the tangled tumble of dirty hair on Ella's shoulders. "That is no way to treat family."

The term 'family' reminded Ariel of Eric, John, and Jenny. "Ella, have you seen Eric?" she asked shyly. "Does he still know me?" The last time she had seen him, the waves engulfing his form as he was swept back to shore, she did not see any recognition in his eyes. But maybe his time on land had changed that?

Ella was suddenly very uncomfortable, shifting her feet and avoiding the mermaid's eyes. "Ariel…I'm sorry but he…that is, I heard that he was…"

Ariel blinked hard and looked straight at Ella. "What?" she asked with a sinking feeling of dread.

"He was arrested," Ella said, finally looking up at Ariel helplessly. "The Queen's men took him away a week ago."

Ariel let out a little whimper and sat down hard on the forest floor, her eyes glazed over.

Ella hated to be the bearer of bad news, but her friend deserved to know the full truth. She knelt down next to the mermaid. "I went to one of the gatekeepers this morning to inquire. They'll have taken him to the palace of the Queen by now."

"Oh gods," Snow brought her hands to her heart and inclined her face upward. Waves of sorrow ran through her, sorrow and anguish. She stood quietly above the mermaid on the ground, trying not to think about how painful this must be for her. Trying not to remember the stories she'd heard as a child about Regina's dungeons.

"Snow, are you alright?" Ella asked.

Snow realized her thoughts must have shown on her face. "I'm…it's nothing," she said quietly. Then she addressed the mermaid. "Ariel I'm so sorry."

She received no answer, honestly she hadn't expected one. Ariel rose unsteadily, swaying a little but ignoring Ella's outstretched hand offering help. She began to pace back and forth in a blurry motion of swaying limbs and rapped breaths of rage. Ariel stopped suddenly and clenched her fists, her eyes blurred by tears of fury. She turned around carefully and deliberately. "I'm going after him."

"Ariel!" Snow exclaimed, sounding like a reproof. "You can't think to do this alone. How are you going to get in?"

Ariel knew that it was a legit question. No one could get past the stronghold of the Queen's defenses, not even a woman as amazing and as clever as Snow. Ariel forced her swirling thoughts into a semblance of reason. She would have to figure it out on her own, to ask such a thing of her friends was not to be considered. She'd lived alone, taking care of herself, for so long that figuring things out on her own had become almost second nature to her.

She parried Snow's question with another. "Will you tell Red and Rain that I have left? I don't want them to worry too much."

Snow looked at her fiercely. "I cannot be a party to you running off like this."

"Why not?" Ariel asked desperately. "I have to save him! I can't just leave him to rot in some prison because of me."

"Yes," Ella suddenly spoke up, turning to stare hard at Ariel too. "Yes, _we _have to save him."

She looked past Ariel to Snow, and determination hardened her face. "I can't just ignore my friend in danger, I have so few." The tilt of her head was different now, more bolder, and she spoke with a sense of confidence.

Snow was surprised at her simple, rather brave statement. "Cinderella" may act submissive and meek in front of her stepfamily, but there was spirit in the young blonde that would not be broken. No one could ever call Ella a coward after all she had been through, but this bout of eagerness was a bit unexpected.

Ella flushed a little at the sudden attention but continued to speak, "I'm not a warrior like you or Red, but I still can help somehow!"

Snow studied her intently, until Ella began to think she had overdone it in her last statement. "This is a dangerous task," Snow finally said, her eyes troubled. But then that steely green glint of resolve was back. "But we have to try."

Ella grinned happily, relieved that she was in on the task of saving her friend.

Snow turned, seeking out the mermaid who had walked a little away, gazing out impatiently towards the direction to the kingdom of King Leopold.

"Ariel?" Snow's face softened with compassion, as though she knew exactly what was going through Ariel's mind. The impatience and urgency that was building up.

It was beginning to get colder now that the sun had fallen. Ariel paused her pacing to stand in the twilight, wrapping her arms around her and stomping her aching feet with worry. The sunset lit her red hair like a fire. Snow's hand on Ariel's shoulder was warm and for some reason, despite the dire situation, comforting.

"Now," Snow said. "Are you ready to let us help you save your prince?"

Confused for a moment, Ariel stiffened and almost drew back. How could Snow offer such a risk? But deep within her, Snow's words made her feel more confident. More assured of the task at hand. "Yes," she said. "Let's rescue him."

…

The sea cave was well hidden. A curtain of matted vines hung down the face of the cliff, concealing the entrance from view. Years of pounding had turned a small crevice in the east-facing cliff into a natural cavern, complete with a back entrance only accessible via an old fox den. The cave was as tall as a castle parapet, but only wide enough to contain a few pools of water.

The clicking of the wolf's nails echoed through the large cavern, drawing evil looks from a group of crabs that were basking on a rock. They wanted their peace and quiet, and did not appreciate a strange beast interrupting their daily respite.

The white creature—'Rain' as she was now known—did her best to ignore them. Instead, she concentrated on the still, black water in front of her. She'd come in search of answers and she knew that this was the best, if only, place to find them. Questions that had to do with…_mermaids. _She could, she supposed, just ask the Dark One. But that didn't feel just right; the man _had_ tried to kill her. She had no reason to believe that the Sea Witch would be anymore accommodating, but she had to try for Ariel's sake. At any rate, even so small a victory of facing Ursula was important, especially now.

Since her return to the Enchanted Forest, Rain had been subjected to several attacks, both magical and mundane. When she found a slew of leg traps in the forest, she quickly buried them only to be chased away by human hunters shouting at her. When she'd herded a lost goat back to its farm, the shepherd had tossed a rock at her. When she'd rushed to the rescue at the cries of a woodcutter's children, magical vines had ensnared her and tossed her into a gully for her efforts. It was getting to the point where Rain was thinking that adventures were not all they were cracked up to be.

Rain frowned with concern at the thought of her mermaid friends, both new and old. Directing her muzzle down at the water pool leading to the ocean, she lifted her chin, closed her eyes, and said in wolf-tongue, _Ursula!_

Nothing happened. Rain glared, and then thought about adding a little extra something. There had to be a reason mermaids sang to lure sailors to them.

_Why do I bother? _She stared at the water, her chest tightening for the first time. Was it fear or excitement? Closing her eyes, she summoned herself into her other form. A young woman, brown hair and mild chocolate skin, now crouched next to the water's edge. Then…she began to sing. Memories of mermaids and sirens filled her. Singers so amazing, they had the power to call even the beasts of the land from their dens down towards the sea. Voices so pure, they would drive a fleet of ships into the rocks. Not knowing any songs (at least that humans use), she tried a variation of a well-known wolf howl. It was a simple stanza, and could be roughly translated to a human tongue:

_Here I am_

_Come to me _

_Ursula of the Sea!_

After the last note, Rain's heart began to pound. _Did it work?_ she asked herself.

From behind her, in another pool her answer came. "How dare you summon me! Do you know who you are dealing with?!" a booming voice echoed out all around the cave walls.

On the other side of the cave a rush of waves broke over the rocks, white spray splattering the entire cave. There was a deafening _whoosh _and a geyser rose out of the water, the twisting form of the Sea Witch sitting on its end. Though she was quite breath-taking with a flawless face, sensuous outlines, and lush auburn hair, her snarling features evoked the image of a fury from hell.

At the first shriek of the Sea Witch, Rain quickly scrambled on her feet and dove out of sight behind a large boulder, morphing for more speed as she went. Ursula did not miss a beat, she simply hurled an extra-large blast of sea water right at the wolf. As she crouched for shelter, Rain tried not to think about how stupid an idea this had been. What did she expect? That Ursula the Sea Witch would be sweet and accommodating enough to answer her questions? It was pure animal instinct that forced her to think of an unexpected tactic. She leapt over the boulder and rolled off its opposite end, just barely in time to avoid one of the octopus-woman's tentacles slamming into the place where she had just been.

Gasping for breath, Rain backed away from the Sea Witch. Out of the water, her sheer size was more intimidating as she edged towards over the shivering wolf. Rain backed up again until her hind quarters hit the cave wall, shaking in fear as she went along. The Sea Witch rounded towards her, reeling both arms up to send another wave forward.

_You need to listen to me…_ Rain set her jaw to brace herself, and tensed her back. The change was instantaneous.

Rain jerked her head up, fixating her eyes on the foul but beautiful creature. She raised her human hands in the surrender position. "Your Majesty," she said quickly. "I come seeking questions regarding the 'little mermaid', not to harm you."

Ursula paused, as Rain hoped she would, at the sound of a mermaid's voice from the mouth of a wolf. Like a hovering wraith, the Sea Witch seemed suspended in the air above the wolf. The black tentacles held her woman-half over the wolf, the wind gushing her fiery hair around her lovely face like a flame. Water from the roaring geyser coated Rain's clothes, and she ducked her head to escape its fury.

"You are," continued Rain, trying a more flattering tone, "truly the most magnificent creature in all the seas. I am but a humble mongrel…but I would like to know more about your kind."

A pair of tentacles shot out, wrapping around Rain's wrist and yanking her forward until she was dangling a mere centimeter in front of Ursula's face. The fangs of the sea monster, so monstrously large and white, gleamed right in front of her.

"Is that _why_…" Ursula asked, "a filthy land creature risks seeking out the Queen of the Seas?"

Rain sidestepped, yanking her arm out of the tentacles as she went. Ursula sent another one forward, but Rain was faster, leaping over her head like an acrobat. The limb bounced harmlessly off the cave wall. Landing in a summersault, Rain scrambled on the slippery, wet ground, trying to reach the far side of the cave. Before the Sea Witch could recover, Rain tried a different tactic.

"I'm not here to take anything!" she shouted desperately. "I just want information."

"You have a mermaid's voice." Ursula glared hard as she turned around. "You should not have that!"

She disappeared into the water and re-surfaced at an interior pool running deep as the ocean. Right next to Rain. "You have a lot of nerve calling as a mermaid!"

A force of muscle and sinew crashed into Rain's stomach, knocking the wind out of her and sending her against the wall. She slid downward, upside-down on her back, the very image of a pathetic mutt.

Ursula brushed her hands together as she turned away from the wolf. "Thought you could fool _me_?" Now that she knew the threat was over, she seemed to completely disregard Rain's presence. As if she had more important things to do.

"Please wait!" Rain rolled sideways onto her legs. "I have questions only you can answer."

Ursula paused, tilting her head as if intrigued by this new authority. Rain jumped onto her interests. "I have heard that Sea Folk live longer than us Land Folk. Is that true?"

Ursula paused for a moment looking nonplussed, then whispered a soft curse under her breath. "Yes," she answered indifferently. "We live much longer than you, up to three hundred years, but at last we become foam upon the sea. We have no souls, we never enter into a new life, nor can we continue very long without our true form."

"But…you changed Ariel. You gave her another form." Rain pointed out.

Ursula narrowed her eyes. "What's your point?"

"I know that that particular magic, a transformation, is _very _difficult." Rain continued. "If what Ariel said is true, you stripped part of her being away. Her human body and her fish body are not complete now. No magic is strong enough to truly change a mermaid's nature, at least…" –Rain cocked her head, flashing her unnatural golden eyes—"not without a little extra help. Which you did not have."

Ursula glared daggers at her, but did not speak to confirm or deny anything. She snatched a coral-encrusted mirror from the cave floor and gazed at her reflection with rapt attention, completely ignoring the wolf.

"You must have taken part of her body, her very essence, when you cast that magic upon her." Rain continued. "I assume that is why you can look like _that _now." The wolf nodded her head towards Ursula's voluptuous figure with her filled chest, dazzling red lips, and a pair of smoldering eyes that would drive any mortal man into desiring fury. "I know you did not always look like this."

The sea witch tore her eyes from the mirror in her hands and directed a malicious gaze at Rain. "You seem to know a lot about mermaids than is healthy for a filthy wolf pup." Ursula's voice was cold now. She clearly did not like the idea of a mere land-creature knowing about the secrets of sea magic.

Still crouched on her haunches, Rain shrugged. "I have spent a lot of time with mermaids in the past. I picked up a few things." She hardened her voice as well. "What you did to Ariel was meant to be a punishment wasn't it? Humanness is only half of a mermaid's makeup, if she is deprived of the other half then…" she trailed off, her eyes widening in shock as she came to the truth on her own. "My gods…she'll die won't she?"

"Very good puppy!" Ursula's high-pitched jest filled the high-reaching top of the cavern. "No one can last long with only half of their form. You figured it out!"

"You gave her a death sentence! A long, drawn-out means to perish just because she was different and decided to stand up for love." Rain's anger was straining her voice. Then she thought of something. "What must she do? There must be a way to fix this."

"And why do you care?" Ursula turned back to her mirror, fixated on twirling her red hair in her fingers. "What concern is it of yours whether a mermaid lives or dies?"

_What must she do_? The girl was gone, the wolf was back. The amber eyes were now tinted with a darkness, a rage of the beast that Rain was never in her wolf pack, but rose up with a fury when someone she loved was in trouble.

"Well, well. I suppose it won't hurt to tell you since the feat is impossible anyway." Ursula shrugged her beautiful shoulders. "If a human grew to love her so dearly, if he clung to her with all of his heart and soul, in other words…" Ursula rolled her eyes. "_Tttttrrrruuue_ love…then part of his soul would flow into her body and she would be complete. He would give a soul to her and retain his own as well. But this can never happen! Humans do not know any better, and they think it necessary to have two ugly legs in order to be beautiful."

Rain ignored the last statement. _She would be human?_ she asked with a growl.

"Of course not!" Ursula shrieked. "Did you not hear me? She would be _complete_, able to be both fish and human. We can't all be blessed by both mermaids and fairies now can we?" The last jab was direct at the wolf, and she felt an unexpected sting of guilt at her good fortune.

Ursula had turned back to her mirror and smiled, crooning softly to herself and stroking her lovely face. "I have a portion of her beauty now, "she said, almost absently," a little taste of the love of self. Her fate does not concern me."

The white guard hairs on the wolf's back stiffened with rage. Her thoughts involved tearing into the sea monster's flesh, ripping off that stolen beauty, and avenging her friend. To force herself into control, Rain changed again. Her human skin was wet with sea water and sweat.

"That is not love." Rain spoke angrily. "To only see your loveliness in the eyes of another? To be so consumed with appearances that you would sacrifice a young mermaid for the pleasure of a reflection in the mirror? Because of that, you made Ariel your victim. That is not love."

"Freak of magic!" Ursula shrilled. "Unnatural thing of beast! Not an animal and not a woman…much like a mermaid. You cannot know of love anymore than Ariel can. Who are you to condemn me and my methods?"

But Rain had already stood and turned to leave. Whatever had kept her there, listening to the ravings of a mad Sea Witch was gone. She started out towards the back exit of the cave, a pile of boulders acting as a staircase to the outside. Up the rocky crevice she struggled to climb, towards the light of the surface world. But as she drew closer to the forest, Ursula's slippery voice sauntered up again.

"I would not waste my time warning her, pup. Her body can only last until the next moon. Then…without the precious love of her prince…well," she gave a titter of laughter from the shadows behind Rain. It sounded like the squeaking of fish gasping from water. "She will not last much longer. It is an impossible feat."

Rain paused in her climbing, feeling a moment of hesitation. Was it right to give Ariel such false hopes? For a moment she was lost in the memories of her old friend, the golden mermaid. All hope seemed gone while the prince lay dead. She remembered the mermaid's despair and her pain, as if her own body was withering away. She remembered the anguish of a lost love. But then…the prince had awakened…it had all worked out. Somehow. Someway. It had all worked out.

She could not answer Ursula; she did not want to give the Sea Witch that satisfaction. But she did allow a small whisper to herself, "Why not? Are we all not impossible beings?"

* * *

**Note: Some of the dialogue in this chapter comes from the 1997 film"Cinderella", the notion of stripping a corpse was inspired by "Beyond the Tide" by Sandra Evans, and some of the ideas of mermaid physiology stemmed from the original Andersen's fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" and Jim Hines' "The Mermaid's Madness", both truly wonderful stories about our favorite mermaid. **

**Many thanks to all who read and review my story. I have never written a story before in my life, but I am loving the new adventure so far!**

**Shout out to Nikstlitslepmur for some great writer's advice. Hopefully, it turned out alright!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney. **

**Chapter 15**

Red's mouth was completely dry and she could feel her heart hammering in her chest. She tried to straighten herself up in the wagon seat, hold back her anxiety with the knowledge that this was a good mission. It was a _great_ plan. Not a suicidal one. For the most part, she was unsuccessful. It an attempt to think of something else for a moment, she addressed Rain behind her, "How are you doing?"

Rain fussed with her collar for a moment, scratching at it with her hind paws. _I feel like a caged monster in here._

"Good," Red said. "That is what you're supposed to be."

Red tugged at her own collar of mail. The armor that Ariel had stripped off of the corpse in the woods was too big for her, too hot, too constricting, and very heavy. Granny had done some modifications so that at least the helmet would not slip off and the chest-plate fit relatively well. Who knew that the old bat possessed some blacksmithing skills? The black felt mask in front of her face gave the werewolf a degree of anonymity. She twisted the reins in her hands, taking in gulps of air as the cold wind blew by her face and they continued along the graveled path.

For a while, there was no sound other than the creaking of the wagon and the stomping of the draft horses' hooves. The stars and the moon shone in a canopy of cold light from the heavens. The wagon rumbled along, approaching a faint glow in the distance that shone through the darkened trees. The forest seemed to close in on the narrow road but the Red did not slow down. She gently guided the team behind another turn and suddenly, the gates of the Summer Palace loomed ahead. The light from a few dim torches illuminated its intimidating height and width, lavishing visitors with designs of iron roses, black swans, and sharp spars. As she moved the wagon across the large arched bridge that separated the palace from the forest, dread closed Red's throat.

_Now remember_, Rain cautioned from inside of the covered cage strapped to the back of the wagon. _You're not a village girl. You're a cold-blooded member of the Queen's men with a passion for killing and you've come to collect a bounty on my miserable hide. You will skewer anyone who gets in your way and drive their guts right out of their_…

"Will you knock it off!" Red whispered urgently. "You're making me nervous."

Rain chortled. _You're already nervous and I was just trying to help._ She was surprisingly chipper for a wolf in a cage.

Red turned around and was about to say so when she caught sight of dread in the animal's eyes, noticed the way her paws kept shifting in the small cage, and smelled a hint of fear. She realized then that she had misread Rain's reaction; she was not being joyful, she was masking her panic by joking around.

"Hey…" Red reached through the wooden bars of the small cage and stroked Rain's furry head. "It's going to be okay."

The white wolf let out a sigh as she leaned into the touch. She took her first big breath since getting into the damn cage. _Hey, I'm just the distraction…its Ariel and Ella that have the hardest job._

Feeling somewhat better, Red shook herself and adjusted her helmet, making sure no hint of a red cloak showed underneath. The wind suddenly picked up, rushing the wagon along the stone bridge until Red felt that they would be shoved right into the iron gates. She glanced up at the full moon, so big and round, almost as bright as the sun. Its light gave her a sense of strength. They rambled up to the gate, where a couple of shadows were already re-forming themselves into dark, moving outlines. The silhouettes of a pair of guards, all dressed in black, began to form in the shade of the enormous stone wall. Rain whined disconcertedly.

"Halt!" a guard sauntered over, his spear pointing towards the heavens for now. Red tightened the reins and brought the horses to a halt, praying that the man's weapon would not point at her.

"What is your business here?" the man barked his question from behind his own black felt mask.

"Come to collect a bounty, that's what," Rain answered, in as gruff and rough a voice as she possibly could. She yanked back the heavy canvas, revealing the white wolf in a cage. To her own ears, it sounded so utterly obvious that she was a woman. Rain must have thought the same thing because she suddenly started snapping and snarling at the bars of her cage, throwing herself whole-heartedly into the role of a distraction.

The guard had jerked himself away from the wagon, a most embarrassing display of cowardice in the face of the roaring caged beast. "You know…" The man suddenly dropped his spear and drew a sword. "I've never had the pleasure of killing a wolf before."

Rain's paws dropped from the bars of the cage as she gave a hard, nearly earsplitting roar of fury, her lips drawing all the way back from her teeth. She was getting too impatient now and it might get her killed.

Red had to think quickly. "Funny…that is just what the Queen said, last time I saw her." She raised her voice over the snaps and growls of the caged beast. "But I'm sure she won't mind you depriving her of such fun. After all...she's a very forgiving sort of woman. "

Red heard the grumble in the man's throat as he slid his sword back into his scabbard reluctantly. Then he waved to his compatriot and said, "Enter then." The gates of the palace creaked painfully open.

Red re-covered the cage and held her breath until the wagon rumbled past the threshold. Twice the guards glanced up at her interestedly, and both times Rain's snarls tore their eyes away. Red tried not to make too much eye contact but she could not help and glance behind her as the gates thundered shut. The scent of the courtyard was suddenly overpowering. The stench of human perspiration, stale wood smoke, used tinder, and cold stone wafted into Red's sensitive nostrils. The square was clustered with many groups of knights, all armed to the teeth with swords, rapiers, spears, and shields.

Coming to the corner of the moon- and torch-lit square, Red stopped the wagon, always keeping at least ten meters away from her and the nearest batch of knights. She had expected to be terrified of them, these men were sent into the forest on missions to take Snow's heart. Instead, she was surprised at her observations of apathy and sheer boredom. They were uninterested in the newcomer, almost like she did not exist. They had no feelings towards anything, not even curiosity, just…empty. For a moment, Red wondered why she had been so afraid.

Her ears listening intently for any signs of trouble, Red leaned back and whispered to Rain, "Do you see it?"

_There_, Rain answered, nodding her narrow wolf-head towards an irregularly shaped door at the very corner of the courtyard. Unlike the other doors of the Summer Palace, this one appeared to be made of stone slabs. There was a rough wooden handle and the hinges were on the outside, just as Snow had said.

_That will be the side entrance_, said Rain.

Red lowered her voice further. "When the time comes, meet me at the sluice gate."

Rain chittered like a puppy and tilted her head. She turned completely around in her cage, obviously confused. Of course. She wouldn't know what a sluice gate was, being a creature of the forest.

"The water channel controlled by a large gate," Red corrected herself. "And whatever you do…_do not_…try anything too stupid!"

But Rain was hardly listening. To her, the night was alive with movement and she could not stand being in a cage, unable to join in the fun. The rush and whisper of the wind as it swept her fur, silent but full of passion, it was almost tickling. She began to pace, as any caged animal would, her paws scratching the door impatiently. Eager to be gone.

Red was worried. The young wolf was too antsy, eager almost, to do this thing. What if she acted without thinking and got herself killed? "Calm down," she said as she reached through the bars and stroked the small wolf's head.

Red slid out of the seat, patting the horses' heads as she walked slowly away. They had been patient beasts, tolerating Rain's roars of fury and snapping teeth with stoic complacency. As casually as possible, Red left the wagon and strode towards the side door Rain had found. There was a small noise from behind the door, Red had been expecting that. She slid into the shadows of the courtyard walls, keeping her eyes on the knights in case anyone started to notice her actions. Her right hand found the wooden latch of the door, and she tugged sharply. When the door was just barely open enough Red stretched out her hand and gestured rapidly.

"Hurry," she whispered as loud as she dared. Two figures, both dressed in 'borrowed' servant outfits, slipped into the shadows of the wall. The one with the better eyesight guided the other.

All of the heads of the nearest cluster of knights snapped up at the sound of the door opening. At first sight, it seemed as if a whole army was moving towards Red, but the she realized it was only a group of three that had been so distracted by the commotion they decided to investigate. She quickly shut the door again and stood her ground next to Rain's cage. As the armored trio closed in on her, Red had an impression of a wall of black, blocking her escape. The three large men prevented any forward movement, and the parapet wall was behind her. She was caught between the wagon and the stone borders of the fortification. They were angled together in the back and she was wedged between them.

"You there!" called the one in the middle. "What are you doing to that door?" All eyes were turned on her, so it was easy for the two other trespassers to slip away unnoticed.

"I wasn't…I was only…" Red stammered, trying to shove past the three. The three men planted themselves like stones and would not let her past. They all looked amused and it made her angry. The last time she had been surrounded by people with weapons, she had almost been killed. Right after Peter. She flushed, then became very annoyed at herself for being so spooked, and made a determined effort to get out of her corner.

A man stepped right in front of her, boldly stopping her tracks. "Just who are you to decide when the servant's door is to be open? What is your rank soldier?"

"No rank," Red replied proudly and a little angrily. The wolf inside of her was growing as restive as the wolf in the cage.

The two soldiers flanking the third waited for their leader's command. Red had seen this kind before; she'd met the type often in her travels with Snow. Bigheaded, without mercy, and lacking any moral. A suspicious expression flashed briefly in his un-masked face as the one in the middle studied Red. He whispered something illegible to the soldier on his right. The other man drew his sword, angled it upwards, and stepped straight towards Red.

A split second later, pandemonium erupted. With a roar of fury, the white wolf lunged out of the unlatched cage, and crashed on top of the men surround Red. She had been desperate to escape and now…she pounced onto the men with scary efficiency. Catching the trio by surprise probably saved her life, they were too shocked to fight back very well. One bolder fellow leaped forward, swinging his sword. A big mistake. Rain simple ducked, made a snake-like turn around the man's legs, and her incisors found the vulnerable spot at his calves where the black armor did not cover. The knight screamed and dropped his weapon. Red fetched him a hard crack on the side of the head with her fist and sent him to his knees. Then she chopped viscously downward at his skull with her elbow.

_Nice move,_ Rain said behind her.

The other two men leaped clear of the snapping wolf and scurried away like a frightened child. Red spun on her heels, but she was too late to catch him. Between the two of them they had dispatched the trio of knights, but surely more would come. For now, their little escapade must remain the extent of their involvement.

_I have to go now. _Rain lifted her chin and her long wolf-tongue cleaned the man's blood from her muzzle. _You'll be alright? _

Red was amazed. The wolf was about to run full speed into a courtyard full of soldiers and her first concern was Red's own safety? All she had to do was open a door. She was about to answer when Red heard shouts and a crash. Most of the torches that had lit the courtyard had all been knocked clear and now lay extinguished in the damp stone floor, the yard was suddenly plunged in darkness. There was a shout of fury and Red knew the others had been successful.

In the wake of the sound, Rain felt a rush of satisfying and triumphing fury. The remaining band of soldiers barreled around the courtyard. Completely confused and unable to see anything without any light source. The white wolf was free and aquiver with excitement. Ready to run. Ready to give a chase. And so she did.

…

Ariel looked up at the top windows of the castle towers. No lights were shining and there seemed to be no sign of movement inside. That either meant that the castle was nearly deserted, or there was an entire brigade ready to pounce on them when they made their move to the inside. Knocking down the torches had most likely alerted someone to their presence. Unfolding her fists, she let out a sigh and watched while her breath formed into a heated mist. "This is it, you ready?"

Ella shook her head. "I'm not sure I am but we're going anyway."

Ariel started at this brutal honesty and opened her mouth to retort, but Ella continued. "The others are already in position. We will not have much time once we're inside. So let's go."

Ariel swallowed a gulp and rubbed her icy forearms, trying to hide her anxiety with a display of plain-cold. "Well, alright then," she managed to gulp past the lump in her throat.

With that, Ariel opened the side entrance door, the best point of access from the courtyard. Silently, the two teenagers crept into the castle. They found themselves in a simple stone hallway running the lengths of the palace wall. Ariel pulled Ella forward, peering into the blackness with her sharper mermaid senses. She wished her friend would wait outside where it was safer, but she knew suggesting such a thing was useless. Ella was fiercely loyal to her friends. They were most likely heading into disaster, but the notion of this did not stop the two.

The stone hallways led them to a wide meeting hall, its walls decorated with brightly colored tapestries of gold, silver, and red. The Summer Palace certainly lived up to its name: the whole motif of the tapestries was the brightness of summertime. The light of the torches cast wide arches of brightness onto finely matched furniture, a wide banquet table, and an entire collection of silver pieces in a locked glass cupboard. Though the rest of the castle was in the shade, this room appeared quite well-kept with its lit torches, dusted furniture, and well-pressed table clothes. A very good sign. Ariel's heart was pounding in her chest, as rapidly as after the queen had tried to extract it, while she scanned for guards. But no specters emerged from the corners to alert the entire castle of their presence. They continued to the other end of the meeting hall without any incidences, approaching a cacophony of stone-arched exits that could have led anywhere.

Silently, Ella took the map that she had sketched out of her pocket and glanced at it. Ariel had to really appreciate her friend's artistry skills now. Snow had only to describe the area, lay out a general idea, and Ella could sketch the entire perimeter using simply a charcoal pencil and a paper. Without the guidance of the map, they would surely have gotten lost in this labyrinth of stone and tapestries.

"This way," Ella whispered, nodding her head to the left.

They moved stealthily, ascending a flight of stairs to a second level where they found yet another hallway. This appeared to be filled with doors leading to living quarters. Ariel started towards the first door but Ella pulled her back. "Not that way," she murmured, turning to a half-hidden door behind the staircase.

"You sure?" Ariel could not help but whisper back.

Ella nodded and withdrew a second map, one with a more detailed outline that included symbols and paragraphs of instructions. "Snow said it was well hidden," she answered back, equally quite.

The small, creaky door led them to yet another flight of stairs, as steep as the first one. Ariel was beginning to wonder how many levels a castle really could have! Her legs were giving her great pains as they both climbed up. They reached the base of a trapdoor without any difficulties, stopping to draw breath and assess things.

"Ariel…" Ella's voice sounded pale in the darkness. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Ariel answered, a little too quickly.

Ella narrowed her eyes. The mermaid always wore her heart on her sleeve. "You're hurting aren't you?"

"It's nothing." Ariel rubbed her left leg to get some of the kinks out. "Where does the map say to—" Her fingers hit a sore spot and she sucked air through her teeth, pulling Ella's attention to her face.

"Ariel if you're hurting, you need to stop and rest."

The mermaid expression tightened as she shook her head. "We don't have time Ella. Rain and Red can only hold the fort for so long." She raised her thin arms and shoved the door with incredible force, unbecoming such a frail-looking teenager.

When the trap door swung open, Ariel was almost surprised that no one rushed over to capture them. The noise itself seemed deafening. How was everything going so smoothly? She looked down at Ella whose large eyes expressed a similar disbelief, but the blonde just nodded her head and started climbing up the ladder. Ariel pulled herself inside a narrow hallway, lit with a few torches. The floors were inlaid with the same stone as the rest of the building, but there was dampness between the stones and a slight foul smell. Ella followed Ariel down the hall and through an archway into a larger room, with two iron-rimmed doors built into the walls. Ariel could see the thickness and impenetrable designs.

"Second door," Ella answered Ariel's unvoiced question. "But we need a key." She studied the crude sketch she had done. "It should have a fleur design on it. And then it's…"

Ella breath caught. She stopped speaking, her wide eyes fixed on the corridor they had just come from, where the sound of approaching boot steps emanated.

Ariel reacted without thinking. She grabbed Ella's hand, pushed her into a small alcove next to an empty suit of armor, and then rounded back towards the sound.

"Ariel!" Ella's whisper was as high as she dared make it. "Are you crazy?! What are you…?" The mermaid placed a finger on Ella's mouth, silencing her as efficiently as if she'd used a gag.

_Trust me _The mermaid did not speak, but the message emanated in her sapphire eyes. It was dark in the hallways, but the faintly flickering torches cast just enough light for Ella to make out a pair of shadows moving along the walls. Coming right towards them.

…

Not one of the soldiers on duty looked up as Red strode quickly towards the outer gate house. They were much too occupied with the idea of a wolf on the loose. Red grimaced as she followed a dirt path down to the cold, slowly flowing water underneath the sluice access. The stones on the bottom were slick with green muck and the ice water penetrated her boots, soaking her feet cold.

Old cobwebs and low-hanging vines tickled her face as she stepped underneath the bridge of the sluice. Here was the grate that led out to the forest, but it was covered with thick iron bars and clogged with sewage debris. The light of the moon was gone now, but she saw well enough. Weeds and spider webs hid the threshold from sight, and dead vines covered the frame but Red's grouping eyes found it. A small wooden door, almost completely covered in green mildew, hidden in the stone sealant. She gave a small shove, and the door creaked open a crack. Dirty sluice water darkened the soil on the threshold. The tunnel beyond was dark but Red caught the smell of fresh pines and clean earth on the other side.

"Good call Snow," she whispered to herself. Now all she had to do was wait.

…

As Rain charged forward, she saw a knight knock an arrow and aim his bow right at her. She cleared the hay cart in front of her with one bound and as her four paws hit the ground, she felt the head of the bolt sear her back as it grazed into the guard hairs.

"Dammit!" the man cried out. "Missed."

_Too close. _Rain thought hurriedly.

She rounded a corner, intent on losing her pursuers, when her paws skidded to a stop. Another black guard was standing in front of her, twirling some kind of weapon over his head. The line of weights and cords sang as it spun in a loop, faster and faster, and then it arced towards Rain as it was released. The cords hit her forelegs, and the weights snapped around all her limbs, twirling several times before slamming painfully into her muscles. Rain's legs slide out from underneath her. As her weight pitched forward, the taunt lines dug cruelly into her skin.

"Gotcha!" the man yelled as he hurried over to where Rain lay stunned on the ground. He grabbed clumsily at his scabbard and yanked out his sword, raising it over her head to plunge.

The image of that flashing weapon would snap anyone out of a daze. Rain quickly knocked her furry forehead into the man's ankle, not enough to bring him down but enough to buy her precious seconds to change form. As he stumbled back a step, she curled into herself and slipped her human hands out of the bounds. The man tried again, re-raising his sword, and then Rain's boots slammed into his stomach as she pushed herself upward and forward with her arms. The man doubled over in pain. Before he could recover, Rain grabbed his arm and twisted him sideways using momentum, right into a wall. His head snapped back at the contact and he dropped to the ground, stunned not dead.

"Don't ever do that again," she told the unconscious man as she unwound the cords from her legs.

Rain rubbed her bare forearms tenderly. She had deep slices in her skin from the line and a nasty bruise was already forming on her jaw where she had slammed onto the ground. But it was so much better than the alternative. She glanced at the gleaming sword lying on the ground and shuddered. She hated weapons.

Hoof beats clobbered on the courtyard stones behind her. A mounted black knight with a drawn sword had wheeled his steed straight towards Rain. She fled on two legs into one of the narrow alleyways surrounding the square. It sloped upward like a ramp but ended at a blank wall. The alley was surrounded by buildings on all sides, the entrances to a few outer doors were barred and all of the windows were shuttered tight.

A shout rang out behind her. Rain turned and saw her only escape route blocked. "You there!" the man on horseback yelled at her. "Where is the wolf?"

Rain did not answer. She kept glancing around desperately, looking for an escape. The structures around her were several stories high, the walls too smooth for a climb. Can't get out that way. She turned back to the horse and rider, her exhausted brain calculating a crazy idea.

"I'll not ask you again wench!" He pointed his sword towards at her. "Where is the…" He gave a shout of surprise when Rain sprinted forward, changed into her other form, and attempted to dodge around the horses legs. For once, it paid to be a small animal. Horse and men swept beside her in blur of animal and human smell but she still wasn't fast enough. The stallion's hind legs lashed out at and caught her on the shoulder, kicking her aside. She rolled painfully on the cobbles, and then staggered towards the center of the square.

Because of the blow she received, she had to pause and allow her vision to clear. _Bloody hell _she growled a curse. _They fight better than I expected. _Her side was in terrible pain.

The respite did not last long. Horse and rider had turned with incredible grace and came charging at her again, the fore hooves striking the stones so hard a few went flying. The knight on top flashed pearly white teeth in a gleam of satisfaction. He had her now. Rain stood her ground, knowing full well that if she tried to flee he would simply overtake her and cut her down from his mount. She was too tired to run very fast.

At the last second, right when Rain was planning a pounce, a large black mass flung itself at the rider. He was knocked clear, but his stallion continued to charge. The animal was blind with hate and still wanted to run her down, he had obviously met wolves before. Rain saw an opening and took it. Changing quickly, she dodged and grabbed the animal's bit, yanking its head hard to the right. The horse could not stop his momentum fast enough and its legs slipped from underneath him. Rain jumped away from the flailing hooves as horseflesh came crashing down. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the knight on his back swinging a sword only to have a furry head descend over his hand, and sink its long, white teeth into the forearm. Red ripped into the armored gauntlet, headless of his screams.

"That's enough!" Rain shouted. "Come on." She was ignored.

Desperate to get out of there, Rain lunged forward, wrapped her arms around Red's neck, gently, and pulled her away from the fallen knight. She knelt as a human girl in front of Red. Deliberately, she reached out and steadied the wolf's muzzle to look into her eyes. Her small hands were very near the large canines as she stared Red down.

"We're wolves…not monsters," she murmured, not breaking eye contact even to blink.

Red whined softly then grunted in her throat. With her human ears Rain could not understand specific words; wolf language was far below and above the normal human range of hearing. But she did acknowledge the consensus. Smiling, she nudged her head into Red's, nuzzling as if still a wolf.

They both barely had time for hiatus before the man started screaming at the top of his lungs. "Kill them both!" He stared at them both from on his back. "They are in league together! Kill the damned things! Demons…"—his shouts were cut short by Rain giving him a clubbing blow with her fist.

But his cries had alerted others. Hooves thundered on the cobblestones of outer rim of the square. Red turned and saw more men coming towards them, brandishing both weapons and torches. The square was slowly filling with mounted Queen's troop, more than they had anticipated. She was frantic now. Her distraction with the guard on the ground might get them both killed. She braced herself for a run, but became aware for the first time that Rain was injured. She smelled the wound on her back and saw the bloody strips on her arms.

_It's not life-threatening _Rain was a wolf again. _Not even serious. _Her small white muzzle lifted and licked Red's face enthusiastically. _You were amazing by the way! _

Red shook her furry head and tried to lead the young wolf away, quickening her pace into a trot. _Not as amazing if we are both killed now. _She glanced behind to do a quick calculation of the approaching group of men and was disappointed. Far too many for two lone wolves to challenge. A few arrows whizzed past their shoulders and she trembled.

Rain however, was more than ready for a good brawl. _Two wolves against an army of the Queen's men...we can take 'em!_

She flattened her ears and lunged forward, only to have Red clamp her teeth on her neck cuff and drag her back, firmly but gently. _No! We are not here to fight. We're wolves, not monsters…remember? _She gave the young one a good shake to make sure the message was clear.

_We're leaving and we're meeting the others_. Red continued. _So come on!_

…

Snow knelt perfectly still next to the tree, motionless as a rabbit being stalked. The night breeze was cold against her skin, but she did not shift to even pull her cloak tighter. This was the closest she had been to her father's Summer Palace in over a year, and she had never known such fear. Not fear for herself, but for her friends who were inside at this very moment. She could feel the quiver of tension building inside of her as she adjusted Red's bow on her back.

It was against everything she believed in to be out here, alone, while the ones she loved might be in danger. But Red had adamantly insisted she stay outside the palace walls. _If they saw my face I wouldn't last two seconds. _Snow thought bitterly. _But what if they find Red? What if they capture Ariel again?_

Fury exploded in her as she seethed against Queen Regina trying to hunt her down, preventing her from being with her family on this important night. _If anyone of my friends gets hurt, I'll…I'll…_her vengeful musings were interrupted by howls in the night. Two separate howls.

"Red!" In her panic, she forgot to keep quite. She quickly raised herself up and stole through the pack of evergreen trees of what was once a royal grove outside the walls. She ran forward, stopped and knelt again, screening herself with the tall grass to listen and watch anxiously.

She knew that howl well. _Red_. She eased to one side, and tried to see what was happening through the large, barred back gate. Her eyes, sharper than most princesses, were useless in this dim light. Too far away. She drew closer still, taking a great risk at being spotted by one of the guards on top of the parapets. She peered through a screen of leafy bushes and tall grass at the commotion in the courtyard.

_Oh Red, _she thought apprehensively.

…

The guard that had come through the corridor turned out to be a blessing in disguise. After Ariel had dispatched him with a quick rap on his helmeted head, she relieved him of his keys and dinner pail. He was one of the jailors sent to bring food to the prisoners of the Queen. Their servant disguises had helped them walk through the palace unnoticed, but the pretense of feeding the prisoners was an even better ruse. All of the soldiers along the next corridors barely glanced up as they walked by.

Ariel felt something brush against her arm and realized that Ella had stepped closer to her. "You don't look like a servant," Ella whispered in apprehensive recognition. "Hunch your back more. Keep your head lowered and don't look anyone in the eye."

Ariel studied her friend and realized just then that she did tend to hunch a lot. No one must notice them, they were simply two more servants in the Queen's palace. They might as well be invisible. She tried to imitate Ella. "Like this?" she whispered back.

The slight hint of a smile tugged at Ella's lips. "Perfect."

Ella herself slipped into the role with disturbing ease with lowered eyes and stooped shoulders. She almost never forgot her place back home. If she had, Lady Tremaine would painfully remind her.

They turned a corner and suddenly a guard appeared out of the shadows. He was blocking the last doorway and holding a huge spear in a firm grip as he stood his post. "You two!" he called out. "What are you doing?"

His voice reminded Ariel of a seal, barking darkly at a usurper to his harem. "Bringing supper to the prisoners," she answered holding up the pathetic-looking dinner pail she had 'borrowed'.

The guard looked down at both of them, his eyes narrowed and his brows drew together as he questioned their appearance. "You are not the usual," he commented, seemingly slightly bewildered.

Ella wanted to cringe away, to flee at the sound of his suspicion but she didn't. She realized that if she did, her friend Eric would be lost. "The other gentleman is indisposed so he asked a couple of the kitchen girls to bring the meal," she said quietly. Her whole body was quivering.

Suspicion continued to cloud the man's eyes as he stared down at the two teenage girls. "Did he?" he asked. "He'll be reported for his." Then, after another agonizing moment of wait, he stepped aside from the doorway.

Both Ariel and Ella shuffled in, making sure to move neither too fast nor too slow. The guard turned as they passed to peer more closely at them, but then a pair of howls broke out in the courtyard and he found more interesting things to study. He left his post to see what the trouble outside was about.

Ariel reached behind her and squeezed her friend's hand. "Good job Ella," she said once she was sure they were out of hearing range. "That was quick thinking." She resumed her focus on the prison corridor.

Ella shook her head. "No it wasn't a good job. I can never do anything right you know," she added with all the humility of her soul. She hesitated then spoke again. "No one thinks I can do anything…"

Ariel turned to scowl at her. "Stop that! Stop putting yourself down." She cocked her head and narrowed her eyes sharply. "Believe in yourself! If you think you can do it, you can. And if you think you can't do it, then you're probably right."

Shock froze Ella into place. She had not expected the mermaid to be so…blunt. Ella was still getting used to the idea that her friend could talk, and apparently, express her displeasure. She had thought she could easily dismiss the ranting and raving of her stepfamily, but maybe it had rubbed off?

_So how do you believe in yourself when everyone says you will fail_, she thought musingly.

She would have like to ask Ariel for advice, but the mermaid was already walking along the corridor of barred doors. Ella followed, averting her eyes from peering sideways into the cells of the poor wrenches that were imprisoned here. Even her human nose could smell the foulness of this place, the fact that she was a cleaning maid back home made her even more sensitive. The air reeked of stale water and mold. The odor of the prison was worse than the lye soap she used at home, triggering a wave of nausea inside of her. Ella clenched her teeth and tried to breathe through her mouth as she followed Ariel down the corridor.

Where Ella was trying to inhale as little as possible, Ariel was doing the exact opposite. She hurried down the passage, pausing at every other barred door to peer into the dark hole and take a good whiff. She looked exactly like a bloodhound on the scent, if a blood hound was a mermaid and was looking for her lost love of course. Ella could not imagine finding Eric via scent in this stinky place, but Ariel seemed sure of herself.

It was not until they reached the end of the corridor that the mermaid paused at the bars of a final door. The silence that followed was, in many ways, more agonizing than the previous clamor of the searching part. Ariel gripped her hands into a fist, peering up and down the hallway for any sign of the Queen's men. Now that they were here, she felt the same annoying sense of hesitation that had made her pause when she first kissed Eric in the boat.

Ella touched her hand gently. "Come on. You said so yourself…if you think you can do it, you can."

Ariel swallowed and approached the door. She took out the 'borrowed' set of jailer's keys and tried the first…then another…then another…until finally one fit perfectly and turned at her command. Blackness lay beyond the threshold. She heard Ella draw a quick breath. Unclenching her hands from the fist, Ariel stepped through the doorway. Her booted foot touched a stone floor. Another step, and her sharp mermaid eyes began to adjust, the darkness began to fade. The walls were all made of tightly sealed stone, marred only be the occasional ring of iron thrust into the sealant. Ariel kept walking until she was in the center of the dark room.

In the far corner of the small cell, sitting cross-legged on a stone bunk, was Eric.

Ariel opened her mouth, and then closed it again. How do you talk to someone you hadn't seen in months, who might not remember who you were? She glanced behind her but Ella had stayed at the doorway, waiting for Ariel to take the lead.

Ariel swallowed and approached the bunk. "Hello?"

His eyes narrowed as he studied her. Ariel's chest tightened but she continued to approach. "Eric?"

Eric compressed his lips but his expression did not change. His hair was longer than when Ariel had last seen him, making him look almost wild, but…in a nice way? His skin had paled considerably and his arms were less muscular, his movements more lethargic. Ariel scanned his scruffy, stubbled face for any recognition, anything at all.

"Who…who are…" he asked slowly as he stood on his legs. He seemed to stumble on the words, crushing any hope of immediate recollection in Ariel. She had to do something drastic.

Ariel moved before she could change her mind. She stepped forward quickly and gently grabbed Eric's stubbled jaw in both her hands. Before he could react, she leaned forward and did the one thing she felt for sure would restore his memories.

She kissed him hard on the lips.

Ariel held herself in the delicious embrace until she felt his strong hands driving into her shoulders, knocking her back. "What the…what the hell are you doing!?" Eric stepped away from Ariel, clearly shaken by what she had just done. "What was that about?" His fingers brushed his lips and he flushed red.

His expression of shock hurt Ariel more than anything she thought possible, more than anything Ursula, the Evil Queen, or her sisters had ever done to her. She was rooted to the spot, keeping her hands to her side so as not to spook him again. This was Eric. He loved her, he had said so himself. "This doesn't make any sense…," she lamented. "Why didn't true love's kiss work?"

"You think I love you?" Eric stared at her. "I don't even _know _you."

Ariel felt a blow, deep in her soul. She had dragged her friends into the strong-hold of the Queen's palace, risked their lives, and her own, only to discover that the spell could not be lifted by true love's kiss? Incredibly, her first thought after processing all of this was, _Now what?_

* * *

**Note: **"Never had the pleasure of killing a wolf…"** this dialogue is sourced from the 1985 film "LadyHawke", a fairytale from our own time. **

**Much more to come, no worries! Thanks to all of my regulars and newcomers who are reading this rendition of everyone's favorite mermaid. "Mermaid's Tail" is such fun to write! **

**Stay tuned for a very messy escape!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney. **

**Chapter 16**

The moon was soothing and beautiful. The light from the stars gentle and the night wind a complex tapestry of smells from near and far. To wonderful a night to be caught in such a nightmare as this.

Red nipped lightly at Rain's hindquarters, forcing an immediate change of direction towards the stables. Red's paws pushed on the straw-littered grounds of the shed as she tried to outpace her companion. They were still leading the knights in a chase but the significance of the late hour propelled her to change tactics. This was no longer a merry lope; it was now a fight for survival. As it was, the sounds of the militia assembling outside of the thin walls of the stables were overpoweringly loud, a babble of voices that carried ill meaning.

As she trotted down the long stable corridor towards the exit, Red noticed that it was suddenly deathly quiet outside. She stopped suddenly and twisted around. Something was wrong.

_What is it? _Rain asked, arching her brow and twitching her nose. She too was trying to find out what had suddenly changed.

When they abruptly reached the end of the long shed, they stepped out into the moonlight and found themselves surrounded by soldiers, all bristling with the cold steel of weapons. Red's wolf eyes saw that they had just walked into a trap. The soldiers hadn't wanted to risk them fleeing when they exited the stables, so they had the entire building surrounding, not just one end. The first row of men raised their arms and tossed a quarry of spears at them. Red was too stunned to move.

Rain knocked into her shoulder, throwing her to the side into yet another small stable yard. The clattering of spent weapons on the stone floor resonated just behind them. Red's paws scrambled to find their footing as she burst free of the fenced yard, but she had only a second to adjust her bearings before a burning torch was thrust in front of her eyes. The fire blinded her and she was helpless.

Rain crouched, sat back on her haunches, and launched herself at the man with a roar of fury that echoed along the stone walls like a thunder. She crashed into his chest, knocking him back with her forepaws. He fell back and his face blanched in the light. He clearly was not prepared to meet two wolves tonight so he fled out of the yard as soon as he staggered to his feet.

Red shivered and leaned a little on the smaller wolf. That was too close. Her hindquarters and lower legs were cramped and her paws throbbed with every step on the hard cobblestone.

_We won't make it to the sluice gate will we? _Rain whined softly. Red noticed that, for the first time since getting out of her cage, Rain was acting nervous. _They're too many of them! I thought Snow said the Summer Palace was almost empty during winter?_

Red found it in her to give a bark of a laugh. _Then can you imagine what this would have been like if it was summertime? At least the queen is not here. _She twisted back, searching for more guards. It was harder to see after all of that torch light, dark spots still danced in her vision.

Her gaze shifted to the other wolf. _This is not going like it should. You're injured, we botched the last run,…_

_I'm fine! _Rain stiffened with offense. _And I still say we can take 'em down. _

Red shook her head. Ariel and Ella were supposed to meet them sooner than this, but it was clear now that something was delaying them. When she had agreed to this rescue mission, after hearing the mermaid's story, she had sworn a personal resolution to seeing the young lovers united. Her loss of Peter, her mother, so many others from her village…it gave Red a strong resolve to help people. To be better than a monster. It had taken some time, but Red didn't hate what she was; her wolf was a part of her.

But Red realized that convincing her companion to flee was not going to be easy. She had unknowingly become Rain's caretaker in this venture, hers would have to be the voice of reason in all of this madness. Rain was the first wolf she had known and cared for since Anita's pack and Rain didn't hate humans with a blinding passion like most wolves. Instead, she had come to know Red and appreciate her for who she was, despite Red's affiliation with humans. She intended to get her young charge out of here, now, to protect Rain, and for that reason it was as close as Red ever came to valuing her wolf.

Swiveling her furry head back around, the big black wolf gave an admonishing look to the small white wolf. _We need to consider our exit. Ariel and Ella are long overdue and we cannot stay long. _

…

Eric blinked, looking surprised, but not frightened.

At first he must have thought Ariel was not being serious because he made no move towards or away from the open cell door. Then his eyes took in her servant's gear, the 'borrowed' dinner pail, and the set of keys dangling from Ariel's hand. He shot those piercing grey eyes to her face.

"Let me get this straight," he said. "I don't know who you are but you're here to rescue me?" Since Ariel was standing near the door, simply staring at him, he continued. "How do I know you aren't just some trick of the Queen's? How can I trust you?"

Ariel opened her mouth, then froze. How does one explain something like this? What memories could she use to convince him? Their time together when she'd first stumbled onto shore seemed a lifetime ago now. Ariel swallowed and approached Eric. "I've come to help you." Eric's face remained suspicious. "If I wanted to harm you or trick you, I would have already."

Eric slid away from her. "It's going to take more than that to convince me."

"Ariel!" called Ella from the door way. "We really need to go".

"Please!" Ariel pleaded. "I'm not leaving without you."

"Alright Eric!" said Ella, coming fully into the cell. She had known that Eric was stubborn but she had never known him to be down right—unreasonable. And certainly not to Ariel. "Please," she added. "There's no reason to do this here. We all need to get out."

This time, Eric turned to stare at her. "Do I know you?" he asked. "You seem familiar."

"Yes." Ella nodded her head firmly, "We've known each other since we were children." She touched Eric's shoulder. "Look, I know this is… very confusing…but you have to trust us. We were all once good friends, and we will be again. After we get out of here together."

Ariel held her breath, completely grateful to Ella for the intervention as she watched Eric consider the proposal.

Eric's brow creased as he continued to stare at the two of them. For some reason, he had an odd-sense of calm now. Like he had been with these two before and had known them both. The blonde one was definitely familiar and she seemed very sincere when she spoke of being a friend. But the red-headed one…she seemed different. That kiss she had given him, what was that about? Was she deranged? But as he studied Ariel another image flashed in his mind—a tossing sea and her face looking up at him. He blinked, very surprised. Where did that come from?

Ariel made a low urgent sound in her throat. She stepped towards the door, then back towards Eric.

"This is insane," Eric said.

She caught the sleeve of his torn tunic in her hands and tugged.

"This is a heavily fortified castle. We won't make it far," he whispered.

"We have some friends on the inside and outside." Ella darted a glance at Ariel as if to say _Hurry!_

Ariel tugged again at his sleeve. Her face, so full of longing and unspoken pleas, bore into Eric's eyes.

"Maybe you're right. Any chance with you two is better than whatever fate the Queen has planned for me."

Finally…after a lifetime in the cell, the three of them slid into the torch-lit hallway of the prison quarter. Eric's eyes darted up and down the hall, as if he still expected this to be an elaborate trap. Ariel felt her chest tighten but tried not to show her unease. His storm-grey eyes found hers and stopped moving for a moment. "So your name is Ariel?" he asked intently. Ariel only nodded and trotted towards the heavy door that was the entrance to the prison corridor. He heaved a frustrated sigh. "I guess I won't really understand any of this until later right?"

Strangely, he seemed to accept this prospect with the same composure he had when facing Ariel's mermaid sisters. He had, at least since Ariel had known him, a way of equanimity and amusement when staring down a danger, and his mouth softened now.

"Come on," Ariel said. "It's this way."

She and Ella strode quickly through the exit, but Eric hung back. "Wait," he said as he stepped backwards and turned to another cell door. He glanced up at Ariel. "Give me the keys."

"Eric…?" Ariel narrowed her eyes and shook her head, completely confused.

"Give me the keys," he said again, in a tone that suggested no argument.

Dumbfounded, Ariel walked over and handed him the iron circlet. Eric slid a single key into the lock and turned it. His other hand gripped the heavy iron ring set in wood, and he yanked at it. The door resisted but began swinging outward with a loud _creak _that the whole castle should have heard. Eric opened the door all the way and slipped through, right into another cell.

"_Eric_!" Ariel hissed as she followed him. "What are you…?"

The room beyond the door was surprisingly well lit, the hall was actually darker. Ariel did not even need time to adjust her eyes before a few details came into focus. She saw the same rough unfinished stone outline as Eric's cell, smelled the same dankness, but on the other side of the room a woman sat up on a cot. A very beautiful woman, she made out. Her lovely face was framed by long, dark brown hair that cascaded down her back like a curtain. Ariel could hear her breathing, coming out in sharp huffs of fear as the stranger straightened her back, putting on a stoic face of bravery.

"Who are you?" she asked, her lilting voice sounding oddly familiar.

"Belle," Eric said as he knelt in front of her and fumbled for the keys in his hand. "It's Eric…from across the hall."

"Wait…what? How did you…?" the woman named 'Belle' narrowed her eyes, trying to process the presence of two strange teenagers in her cell.

"We're getting out of here," Eric answered the question as tried to unhooked one of Belle's chains using the keys.

From somewhere beyond the hall, Ariel heard noises. The scrape of boots and the distant flicker of a torch blowing. She peered towards the cell door and felt cold realization come over her. Now there were voices, echoing down the hall and moving. They would soon be upon them.

"We have to go now," she blurted. She found herself annoyed at the side trip that Eric had decided to take. She was willing to dare the dangers of the Queen's dungeons for him, and here he was, trying to rescue yet _another _stray.

"_Not_ without Belle," he adamantly stated and kept trying the keys.

Ariel could see that this 'Belle' was taken back. She heard a scuffling of feet and realized that Ella was pacing nervously in the hallway. They needed to get out and this was no time for the mermaid to act like a guppy! Ariel shook off her aggravation and hurried towards Belle.

She dropped to her knees beside the cot. The big blue eyes of the woman studied her, as if not certain what to make of this strange red-headed usurper. Ariel looked at the chains securing her pale arms to the cot and did a quick calculation. While Eric was fumbling for a fourth key, Ariel caught up the iron line with her two hands and levered it against her knees. The metal bit painfully into her hands, but she gave a ferocious yank and the broken chains tumbled out of the stone wall with a loud _clunk. _

Eric eyed the shattered manacles fearfully. Then, to Ariel's dismay, he angled himself between her and Belle. Holding his arms out in a protective gesture. "What are you?!" he demanded, his eyes glaring accusingly.

Ariel sighed. This was definitely still Eric. Still so very protective of the ones he cared about, and still ready to take on more than he obviously could handle. At one point, Ariel might have been the one he wanted to defend, and now it was this strange woman with beautiful, intellectual eyes and long brown hair. The mermaid begrudgingly acknowledged her surge of jealousy.

But only for a moment. Right now they had to leave. "I already told you…I'm a friend." She rose to her feet, grimacing at the pain that suddenly shot up her legs to her waist, and then turned towards the cell door. "Now, are you both coming or what?"

When the three of them crossed the threshold into the hallway, Ella was waiting for them. Her thin frame sagged with obvious relief. "We should go by the other way now," was all she said. If she was surprised at the prospect of breaking out another prisoner, Ella did not show it. Ariel had to give her credit for that.

The mermaid squirmed towards the other hallway exit, glancing around and listening intently as she walked fast. The three others fell in behind her, practically on her heels. The corridor they walked out seemed deserted. The guards were most likely chasing wolves, their attentions not on the prison cells for the moment. Ariel glanced to the right hall fearfully at the sound of voices, then moved to the left into another hall, keeping close to the wall as she tried to stay in the shadows.

The four of them stumbled along, trying to keep straight but having to turned several times to avoid crashing into more guards. They found themselves at the top of a narrow, steep staircase, the steps lit by a few burning torches thrust into the walls. Ariel hurried downward, the others following her. Once she stumbled over a rock and were it not for Eric's quick hand, she would have gone tumbling down into the dark.

She allowed herself a pause. "Thank you," she said in a small voice.

Eric looked startled, as if not expecting her to talk.

Finally, they neared the end of the steps and there was no place to go but forward. From what Ariel could make out by her feet, it was a long, well-lit carpeted hallway in a more-habitable portion of the castle. Her pace quickened on the dark steps. That had to mean they were getting close to an exit! Ariel glanced behind to make sure that the others were all here, and then started forward.

She abruptly stopped.

A group of guards was standing right in front of her, blocking the only way out.

…

The boot steps sounded closer now. The men were coming down the parapet stairs. Hurrying towards them.

_I found something!_ Rain yipped to the right of Red.

The white wolf had hit upon an opening in the castle wall, a narrow tunnel filled with murky water that was designed to drain rainwater from the courtyard stones past the parapet and into the forest. It was so clogged with leaves, twigs, and mud that Red could barely make it out.

Rain's paws were already flying, clearing away the debris. _We can make it! _she snapped hard, her long canines clicking in a determined way.

_Is it big enough? _Red could not help but be worried. She was after all, a very large wolf.

Rain kept digging. _Yes! Absolutely…it'll work…it has too._ The last part sounded more like a plea than a certainty.

The group of soldiers that had been chasing them appeared to be coming up the passage they had just come from. Red heard more approaching from down the wall side, not as many but enough to warrant a hasty escape. She estimated that they had minutes before they were upon the two wolves. Her big wolf paws, so much larger and lethal-looking than Rain's, hastened to help widen the hole. The nails scraped against both stone and soil, a painful combination but within seconds her work was done. The tunnel was a burrow now, leading to escape.

_You first_, she commanded Rain.

The white wolf did a very human-like shake of the head. _You first. You're bigger so I'll need to help you from this end. _

Red flattened her ears and turned her head to snap at the headstrong young one, but stopped mid-growl. Rain had changed, in a flurry of movement that only looked like a blur in the dark, and now crouched as a human next to Red. Her dark, unkempt hair fell around the abnormal golden-hued eyes as she gazed intently up at the black wolf. Red was so surprised her ears lifted and her eyes un-narrowed themselves. It was against her nature to snap her teeth at a human girl.

Rain took notice. "Chiding me again? Yell at me later. Now go already!"

Red turned to the hole again. Wolves were natural burrowers so she dove to the ground without hesitation. The tunnel sloped downwards, underneath the great thick wall of the parapet, then upwards again to the outside. Red wiggled as best she could, but just as her muzzle touched sweet freedom, she got stuck. Being caught underneath a great stone wall with a troop of soldiers ready to cut you from behind was not the best place to be. Red shrieked and tried desperately to wiggle forward but the inside of the stone drain was too slick for a paw hold. She felt something hard slam into her backside. Rain was pushing with her legs, trying to force the larger wolf out. Red was both infuriated and extremely grateful for the feel of the boots pressing against her hindquarters.

"Hurry!" Rain hissed at her. "They're already here!"

Red heard the footsteps approaching. The hole had not been a good idea, the soldiers were closing in on Rain and she was still on the wrong side of the wall. Right at the last moment, Red felt a hard shove and she shot out of the end of the hole like a rabbit from its den. She landed in a heap on top of a bramble bush, heavy with thorns.

Loud shouts, evidence of the soldiers' frustration, echoed from the drain. She heard Rain get to her feet and turn around. There were far too many footsteps behind the wall now. A group of the Queen's guard it sounded like, all with unsheathed swords. Another group hung back, but Red had not doubt they were armed as well.

On the other side of the wall, Rain clenched her fists and slide her legs into a stance that felt right for a fight. "Red, you need to go now," she called towards the drain, never taking her eyes off of the guards in front of her.

She heard the black wolf snarling in frustration and pawing back at the tunnel. Red was trying to come back into the castle stronghold, trying to come to her aid. But she was a large wolf, too big to fit back under the stone drain without any help.

"I'll meet you!" Rain called out. "Just go! Find me later."

"You men!" One of the men bearing a sword called to his pike-bearing brethren a top the wall. "Send a squad out to kill the other wolf," he commanded. "A pelt that size will be worth a fortune in bounty money." A group of three lowered their weapons and hurried away.

"Red, _run_," Rain screamed.

It was a mistake to scream like that and she knew it, but her emotions had run amuck. Watching the men move away, she realized Red had been right all along. They should have made a better escape. Why was it easy to break into a prison, but very hard to break out again? The black knights came at her from all three sides, weapons in hand. For a second, fear closed her throat up like a giant hand over her wind pipe.

_Stay calm,_ Rain commanded herself. _You've been in worse situations. _A few sweaty strands of dark hair hung in front of her golden eyes as they darted this way and that, searching and calculating.

As the first guard lunged his weapon at her, Rain sidestepped ever so slightly. She leaned to the left, letting his sword slid past her, before spinning around him smoothly. The other men rounded towards her, weapons swinging. Rain dropped into a slide on her knees, and glided between the two legs of a guard in front of her, bounded lightly to her feet, and jumped onto another one. The man fell down hard with a loud _"Oomph_" as she placed her boot toes on his shoulders and hopped, ducked underneath a swinging sword, and then she was galloping away.

_Please have the decency to follow me and not Red, _she thought as she slowed to a trot.

She was rewarded by shouts, then pounding feet, closing in behind her. She dropped into a crouch and accelerated to a sprint as cloaks black as night careened towards her. Suddenly, there were more men ahead of her. Rain skidded to a halt and then saw the wagon. She galloped onto the leaning ramp slopping upward, leapt over the men, and turned herself midair to avoid the spear heads underneath her. Landing gracefully on her feet again, she spun around and was off again, along the wall, down a stairwell, over a few barrels, and then finally around a last corner.

All the stories she had heard, adventures she had longed for, heroes and heroines she admired went racing through her head as she ran. _I am not a hero. I just want to live now! _Despite the cold, spring night, her brow was slick with sweat and Rain was breathing hard when she ducked into a dark corner of the courtyard. She glanced up at the castle walls from her hiding place in the shadows. More guards, most of them armed, were walking along the elevated pathways. What would they do to her if they saw her running across the yard? When she was wolf her white fur made her a beacon in the darkness.

But she had to leave _now_. Snow and Red…they would be waiting for her outside. She could not let them down by staying here, getting herself killed like an idiot. And Ariel…she needed to see the mermaid again. Make sure she was alright.

_You can do this_, she heard in her thoughts. Her legs were moving before she could change her mind.

She stepped out into the yard.

…

After hearing the scuffle, and the quick patter of light feet scurry away, Red knew the other wolf had made a clean get away. She really was a little fighter: quick on the feet and good instincts at avoiding weapons, despite her eagerness to get into brawls. Red could easily see how Rain would have been attracted to a life of adventure as a human. Still, it was against her sense of comradeship to abandon her friend. Especially now. But as Red tried fervidly to burrow into the stone drain again there came a slam of sound, and a bolt from a crossbow buried itself into the ground next to her. The shaft was not three inches from her big, black paws. Red panted and glanced up.

Men on horseback were pouring along the sides of the castle parapet. Right towards her.

Red turned and vaulted over a stone wall, making her way across the bridge that led to the forest. She reached the forest line and jumped again to avoid a trunk. In mid-leap, she heard the air ring with the sound of more crossbow bolts. All aimed at her. She rolled as she landed, coming to her feet and then changed directions. Looking around her shoulder, she could not make out how many were chasing her.

As she continued to sprint, some preternatural instinct told her to duck and so she did. Her furry head went down, and an arrow whizzed over her, burying itself into the unprotected throat of her pursuer. Red careened to the side and glanced up. The man looked at the shaft protruding from his own neck with nothing more than a surprised expression. Before Red could marvel further at this wonder, another arrow whistled past her, and into the uncovered lower arms of the second guard. This time, the man screamed and fell off his steed with a loud _clunk_!

The Princess Snow White of the Kingdom of King Leopold calmly drew a third arrow and let it fly. The last guard suddenly dropped his sword when his forefinger and middle fingers were pierced together by the arrow head. He leaned over and with his weaker left-hand yanked out the shaft, tossing it aside and drawing a dagger at the same time. Leaping off his horse, he approached Snow his weapon gleaming in the moonlight. She quickly reached behind herself again, but there were no more arrows in her pack.

"Got you now you little bitch!" the soldier was clearly upset about the little wound to his hands.

He moved faster than Snow would have thought possible for such a heavily armed knight. Before she could even draw her own knife, one of his hands clamped over her mouth and yanked her head back. The other brought the dagger to her throat. In her uncalculating panic, Snow reached up and grabbed the man's wrist with all her strength, pulling it away from her throat. She heard him curse.

A black wolf, the size of a small bear, vaulted forward and knocked the man aside. All three went tumbling to the ground. The knight's weapon clattered from his hands and suddenly, the wolf had his head under its jaw and wrenched it back with a loud _snap_! He was dead less than a second after.

Snow got to her feet and wiped her neck, feeling the warm trickle of blood run down her throat. It was not deep cut but it did sting. The black wolf looked up at her. Its huge jaws were open in a pant and its eyes glowed a dark hazel in the moonlight forest. It was Red alright. "Thank you," Snow whispered, her voice a tad nervous. She lifted her hand and held it out to the wolf, not a single tremble. Red padded closer, sniffed her fingers, and then gave a hearty lick.

Snow smiled. "Red…I'm so glad you're safe." She sighed in relief and feel to her knees, the adrenaline leaving her body made her disoriented and weak now. "Where are the others? What has happened?"

The wolf only whined softly and bobbed it's from side to side. Snow shook her head. "Red I…I don't understand that. I can't…where is your hood?"

The wolf who was her best friend whined again then made a rumbling growl in her throat, a note of frustration that Snow easily heard. Snow was beside herself. What went wrong? Where were the rest of them? Her questions and concerns buzzed inside her head, a torrent of worry that harried her breath. Snow reached up and started petting the furry head, hoping it would calm her.

As she continued to stroke, she felt the wolf's ears suddenly prick up and Red turned towards the beaten-down pathway the Queen's men had made when they followed her. Snow heard a small crash in the forest foliage and saw some rustling of underbrush coming up the path. She quickly shot to her feet, her hand groping for another arrow before she remembered she was all out. Something was coming up the trail towards them, something coming fast. Red rumbled a warning and stepped in front of Snow, protecting her with her wide wolf girth. But Snow was not one to hide herself behind a friend. She also stepped forward, her dagger in hand and her feet in a fighting stance. Something else had followed Red from the castle. More knights chasing them? A new danger? It was hard to say. Both Snow White and Red Riding Hood both stood next to each other, ready for anything.

Or so they thought.

…

Before Ariel could warn the others, the guard in front had leveled his spear up at her. He glanced behind her, took in the sight of four escapees, then simply said, "You're all under arrest."

His voice was hard, as if he really meant it. Eric started to move forward between them, but the guard swung his weapon deftly, cutting Eric's arm. Blood began to stain his sleeve.

"Stay there prisoner," the man said calmly.

All of the other guards moved forward, driving them back until they stood with their backs pressed against the castle walls. Ariel glanced up the hallway. There appeared to be no more coming, and this was only a group of four. Could she dare try it? "Let us go and you will not be harmed," she addressed them.

"You are bargaining with us?" The man in front glanced at his comrades and began to laugh heartily.

"I'm serious," Ariel tried again. "Drop your weapons and or you will regret it." She reached behind her and gripped Ella's hand, hard enough to be reassuring. She would have liked to take Eric's hand but he was still wary of her, and trying to seep his bleeding arm.

The leader turned to face his men. "Take them now."

Never taking her eyes of off the guards, Ariel whispered to her friends behind her, "Cover your ears." She did not turn around to make sure they had obeyed her orders.

Instead, the little mermaid took a deep breath and screamed.

An intense vibration suddenly overwhelmed the entire room. The first scream made the men stagger back, clutching their heads with armored gloves. The very air seemed to be a wave of overwhelming power. A surge of magic that rippled forth, twisting and tumbling, pulsing and throbbing. The vibration grew, until Ariel had to press one hand to the wall to keep herself upright on unsteady legs. They were hurting now more than ever. She didn't know if she had enough strength, but she put her whole self into it.

Ariel gasped for a breath of air, then screamed again. This time, the guards all fell to their knees. The weapons dropped from their hands, surprisingly loud on the stone floor. Ariel's vision was blurry but through watery eyes, she saw all of the men were incapacitated, slumped unconscious on the ground. Finally, she stopped and leaned heavily against the stone wall. She struggled to draw breath, gasping hard with the effort.

"Is…is everyone…alright?" she managed to croak out as she turned to the others.

Only Belle was still on her feet. She shook her head hard and scrunched her eyes, as if trying to clear her head. Apparently, she had been the only one to quickly follow the command to cover her ears. Ella and Eric were both on the floor, clutching their heads in pain and anguish at the screams of a mermaid. Belle was already kneeling down beside Eric.

As she helped him to his feet, she stared wide-eyed at Ariel. "You," her voice quavered with fear. "You're a…a…" She seemed unable to say such a simple statement and Ariel was both annoyed and ashamed. The woman had obviously been exposed to magic before; she was not nearly as damaged as the rest of the group was.

Ariel quickly dropped to her knees and grabbed Ella's shoulders. Her friend was panting in pain. "Ella," she whispered. "Ella, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I forgot how badly our voices can affect you."

Ella still had her hands clasped over her head, her chest heaved as she gasped for breath and her voice was a sob. She could still feel the mermaid's grief and pain, as strong as if it was her own, inside of her. "Ariel…what was that?" she moaned. The mermaid's scream had sent ripples of anguish through her very bones, a sound that stirred horrible memories in her.

For months after Ella's father had died, her stepmother terrorized her every waking moments, laughing cruelly at Ella's grief and completely disregarding the young girl's pain. Her stepsisters had been worse. For a moment, Ariel's screams had taken her back to that awful time, when the beatings had been more frequent. When she was just learning how to be a servant girl and she made so many mistakes while doing it. For a while, she was back to being 10 years old and scared for her very life.

Ella rubbed her eyes hard, trying to get the images out of her head. Trying to keep from shaking.

"I'm so sorry Ella," Ariel said again.

Ella sat up slowly, rubbing her arms to get the bumps to go away. "No…no it's fine," she managed to whisper. "You warned us…I should have been faster."

Ariel put an arm around Ella, helped her stand up, holding her in a gentle embrace.

The mermaid glanced back over to where Belle was allowing Eric to lean on her. His eyes were only half-opened. "I…I think he'll be alright" spluttered Belle, looking uneasily at Ariel as she wrapped her arms around Eric's shoulders. "But…how? How can a _mermaid_ be here?"

Ariel's gaze darted between Belle and Eric. _Dammit!_ she thought. If they had only left that woman in her cell. If she told Eric what Ariel was, it would seriously diminish any chance she had of getting him to trust her again, if it was not already completely gone. She _had_ just nearly knocked him out. "I…I'm sorry. I had no choice," she tried to explain. "I can't tell you now—," her voice trailed off.

Ariel glanced quickly at Ella for help, but the blonde just gave a small head shake and gestured to the exit. Her screams had most likely alerted others to their presence. "Please," Ariel managed in a slightly more controlled tone. "I will explain what I am later…to both of you. But right now we have to go."

Ariel slipped underneath Eric's other arm, and started them all towards the door. Dispatching those guards left Ariel feeling weak and disoriented, Ella noticed. When they reached the exit, Ariel had not the strength to even tug it open, Ella had to slide next to her to help.

"Come on, the wolves will be waiting for us," Ariel said.

"Wait? Wolves?" Eric spoke up. He was still leaning heavily against Belle. He didn't look well, but he looked more alert now.

"Some friends of ours," Ella explained.

Eric shook his head, deciding to process that statement later. The four rushed along, undetected, down another stairwell and back into the dining hall of the Summer Palace. As planned, Ariel and Ella led the other two towards the same entrance they had used earlier. The idea was to slip out, unnoticed of course, and make for the sluice gate that would be opened by now. Red had promised them.

"This way," Ariel whispered as she trotted with Eric's weight still leaning on her. Ahead she saw the wooden outline of the door that led to freedom.

The group melted into the shadows of the great hall at once as they edged towards the door…until Ariel saw him.

At first, she was so scared she could not move. Her weak legs faltered and she nearly fell to her knees. But Eric, out of courtesy more than anything, tightened his grip on her hands and suddenly supported her weight. She steadied herself and leaned heavily on his arm.

A black knight stood to one side of the hall, not 5 meters in front of them. He stood erect, his posture suggesting alertness and expectancy, and he was looking right at them. Almost like he was expecting them. Suddenly he raised his left arm and Ariel saw the bow. In a movement so swift and natural it might have been a second nature, the stranger drew an arrow from the black quiver on his back. Another second later and the weapon was knocked in the bow and aimed right at them.

Ariel was in motion almost before she thought, and found herself stepping in front of Eric and Ella, her mind a turmoil of fright.

The guard drew back an arm and let the arrow fly.

* * *

**What'd I tell you? A messy escape :) **

**More to come I promise! Let me know what you think in a review. **


	17. Chapter 17

**A Mermaid's Tail**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney. **

**Chapter 17**

The bolt shot from the bow, so fast that its line of path was not visible until it reached its target. The arrow buried itself mid-shaft into the chest of…another black guard. Directly behind them!

Ariel's heart stopped. It stopped beating for a mere second, but that second seemed to last an eternity.

As the man fell to the ground, dead before he hit the stone floor, Ariel whipped her head around and stared at the shooter. A chaos of confusion was resounding in her head. What had just happened? Did the man actually just help them?

He was dressed exactly the same as the rest of the guards they had encountered that night. Gleaming black armor, a plumed helmet that gave more intimidating inches to his height, and a long cloak dark as night. Ariel's heart pounded in her chest as she steeled herself against the possibility that she was wrong about this man. Humans did such unusual things sometimes and if she were wrong, it would be devastating. With a deep breath, she walked over to the man, watching his hands to see if he would draw any other weapon.

"Thank you," she whispered, clearing her throat as she looked up at him. The sight of his towering height over her petite frame was daunting, and Ariel tried to hold herself steady. If this human decided to turn against her friends, he would have to go through her to do it.

The man reached up a hand and grabbed the plumed helmet that framed his head, hiding individual features from the world and giving him an extra degree of intimidation. As the article slipped off, Ariel got the impression that it was a weight, a heavy burden, that he was reliving himself of, although the helmet could not have weighted more than a few pounds. The mermaid continued to stare even after the article was removed. A dusty mop of light brown hair, a bearded strong chin, wide-set russet eyes, it was a human male alright.

"You need to leave now." He looked over the group and gestured using the helmet in his hand. "The castle will be completely surrounded in minutes."

Ariel stared up at him. Having just saved their lives, the man seemed oddly nonchalant about the whole affair. Ariel was about to turn back to her friends when the guard lowered his gaze right at her and grinned. She stared right back at him. "You're a brave little one," was all he said in an oddly lilted voice.

Ariel stiffened with offense. "I'm not that 'little'," she insisted. "Why does everyone keep calling me the 'little mer…'?"

"Ariel!" Ella interrupted, coming up right behind her. It was not prudent to reveal what she was to a Queen's guard, even if he had just saved them.

"I see." He studied each of them in turn now. When those dark brown eyes met hers, Ariel felt as if he was peering right into her being, reading her as a tracker reads the woods. He certainly had the rugged-look of a woodsman because something, maybe the uniform, made him seem out-of-place in all these regal settings. "You can't get out the way you came."

Ariel glared and took another deep breath, trying to maintain her bravado the human obviously admired. "Thank you for your help kind sir," she said, as boldly as she could muster. "But we really must be going." She turned to the door, the door leading to sweet freedom and no more guards.

In a smooth movement, one that she barely saw, he moved in front of her and blocked the door. "You can't go that way," he said again. "There are too many men assembled outside. You'd be caught before you got to the gate."

"How does he know how you came in? Is he in league with you or the queen?" Eric muttered.

The stranger continued as if he hadn't heard. "There is another way. A faster way."

"How do we get out?" Ariel asked.

But he was already moving past her, striding down the long hall towards the door that had led them there. He pulled it open and stepped back, motioning for them to follow.

Ariel started to walk towards their guide when Eric caught her wrist. "We don't even know who he is. It could be a trap."

"It would be an odd thing to trap us right after he saved our lives," Belle pointed out, ever the smart practical one.

Ariel nodded in agreement and gently tugged her arm free. "I trust him," she said. And she did. She had a way of reading people, an ability she had acquired from being mute for three months. Human faces, unlike mermaid faces, gave away so much of inner emotions and this man's face revealed no hint of treachery. Just a sincere desire to help them, for whatever his personal reasons.

"You have good instincts mermaid," murmured the stranger to Ariel as she stepped past him. Glancing up the corridor, he checked one last time to make sure the coast was clear. "If you will all follow me?"

The stone walls of the corridor were as thick as Ariel's arms and twice as tall. Lengthy tapestries, the size of Eric's skiff, draped over the palace fortifications and regal carpets lined the floors. Gleaming decorative suits of armor enamored the enclaves, but to Ariel they just seemed like more guards standing at the ready to kill them all. She knew that they were headed towards the servant's quarters when the man turned and went down a flight of stone steps, narrow and pounded with age. Thick shafts of muted torchlight lit the way.

Their guide suddenly stopped and raised his hand, watching Ariel. "Well here you are." They had stopped at a length of plain stone wall.

She saw nothing, just the wide stone corridor and the torches fluttering in the wall.

Belle however, saw something. She walked to a small metal grate that was situated in the middle of the floor, sunk about half a centimeter into the stone. Clearly, she understood what the stranger had in mind because her face paled considerably. "You can't be serious?"

The stranger raised a torch, illuminating the metal gate fixated in the floor. "I am open to any other suggestions," he said, giving Belle an approving look. He handed the torch to Eric and tugged open the heavy flap with both hands. A puff of cold air resounded from the crater. There, below the metal opening, was a spillway to the castle sewers. It was a hole about two feet in diameter—just barely wide enough for them to slip through. The overwhelming stench of a drain assaulted Ariel's nose. The gate opened up into darkness, a long downward sloping chasm that led to…water? Ariel sensed liquid moving below, fresh-water liquid, but still it was water.

"Where does this go?" she asked.

"To safety," the man answered, somewhat vaguely. "It's a straight slide down and it'll get you out of the castle walls in less time than making your way to the gate."

Ariel cast a speculative look at the tunnel, then sighed. "I guess we have no choice." She looked up at the others. "I believe," she continued slowly, "that this is the better way, perhaps the only way. I can get us out of the river, only don't…" she stuttered on the words, realizing she didn't want to reveal too much to the company. Only Ella knew of her true nature. She gathered herself again and continued. "Don't ask too many questions when we reach the other side."

The stranger's face cracked into a smile and Ariel saw, even in the darkened room, the same glint of appreciation she'd seen when he'd removed his helmet. "You're an odd one. But then, so am I"

Ariel smiled shyly up at him.

Ella knelt next to the sewer and raised an eyebrow at the dark hole. "Is there really is no other way?"

The man shook his shaggy head hard. "No," he answered simply.

Ella's brows drew together as she frowned and looked from Ariel to him and back again. "This was not part of the plan. What if Red and Rain are…?"

Footsteps thundered on the stone floor outside the hall, from the dining room they had just escaped. Ariel heard someone shout. "They're in the castle! Get them!" The hallway erupted as a hoard of men charged forward, knocking over suits of armor, chairs, and even torches stuck in the wall. They would be upon them in a matter of seconds.

The mermaid jerked around, grabbed Ella's waist and hoisted her down before the maid could protest. She shoved Ella hard in the back and shouted, "Run for your life! They will kill us." She was rewarded by the sound of sliding into the distance and Ella's shriek of fear.

She turned to help Belle down but a flash of pain knifed its way through her feet and up her legs. She staggered and was deaf and blind for a moment. Then a choking sensation filled her mouth and throat and she felt for sure she would vomit right then and there, at the worst time possible. Her legs gave out, leaving her sprawled on the palace floor.

Eric bent over to retrieve her. "You're not wounded but you keep acting like your legs are giving you pains," he said as he helped her to her feet.

"I know," was all Ariel said by way of explanation. She grabbed his forearm for support. Her fingers gripped harder than she realized, and her nails drew lines of blood across Eric's hard arm.

Behind them, the Huntsman had already lowered Belle to the pitch-black gap. After whispering some words of encouragement into her ears, he let her go. Belle did not scream like Ella, but she did make a terrified whine as she disappeared into the darkness. Then it was Eric's turn. He ignored the man's extended arm and dropped himself down, swinging his feet over, and then his legs.

But before sliding down, he turned to Ariel. His face seemed oddly vulnerable now. "You're coming right after." It was a statement, not a question. Then he let go of the sewer framework, tucked his knees in, and slid into the darkness.

Ariel gritted her teeth and forced herself to take a step, and then another towards the grate. It felt like thousands of knives were being driven into her legs every time she moved.

The stranger took pity on her and helped her down to the floor gently, making sure not to touch her legs. "Thank you," she said her voice shaky. She clamped her jaw to keep from crying out, but just as suddenly as it had come, the pain stopped. For now.

The stranger was already turning away. "Get going," he said.

"Wait, aren't you coming?"

"I cannot," he answered. "The queen has me under her command for the time being. If I were to leave, she would kill me with one squeeze of her hand." His voice was distant, almost sad. "But you…you and your friend risked your lives to save the one you love. I will not see you in the same fate."

Ariel could not help it. She knew it was against mermaid honor, against everything she had been taught by her pod, but she reached out and took the man's shaggy head in her hands. He did not resist when she leaned over and kissed him.

"Thank you," Ariel whispered. She wondered if he knew how precious the kiss of a mermaid was, they were not merely given at a whim. Sailors who bragged about receiving a kiss from a mermaid were all liars; any man that had been kissed was drowned and eaten right afterword.

The Huntsman smiled and for a moment, the hardened layers taking the place of his heart softened and he felt at peace with himself. With the entire world even. His eyes watered as he gently extracted her cupped hands from his cheeks. "Go," he said softly.

The mermaid nodded, gave one last grateful glance at the Huntsman, then twisted sideways and slide across the stone floor on her hip. Then she lowered herself into the sewer system, but she hesitated because she knew what was coming would hurt like hell. As she let go, the darkness plummeted around her and she felt her stomach loose itself to the drop. She was instantly swept downward by the slope of the sewer tunnel. The stone walls were green with algae and she couldn't get a grip. The tunnel sucked her down…down…down into a long, narrow stone pipe. She felt the walls closing in on her and the unpolished stone was so rough it cut into her shoulders, ripping her shirt to ribbons.

After only a few seconds, the tunnel abruptly ended and Ariel felt herself go flying through the air and land with a hard _smack _in open water. Her arms were finally free but her lungs were throbbing and her legs burned as if on fire. She looked upward at the surface, nearly 20 meters above her. Dark masses floated around her, blocking out the moonlight that shone in dancing stripes of light. Just as she propelled herself upward towards the surface, the pain started and it came like a typhoon. She thrashed, kicked, and yanked herself underwater but nothing she did would make it stop. Not until she was done.

_This cannot happen _she thought, the reality of her dire situation overwhelming her mind. _Not here, not now!_

…

Snow yanked an arrow from the corpse of the guard she had shot and knocked it in her bow, pulling the cords taunt with her strong shooting arm. Thirty-pound of a pull was a belligerent force to reckon with, but she still felt a strange sense of weakness. The night had already claimed the lives of two men at her hands. Granted, it was in defense, but she still felt bad. And whoever was coming up the path towards them would meet the same fate if she had any say in it.

_Rrrrrrrr_. The growl was hoarse, very threatening, and it came from the big black wolf.

Snow sensed the quivering readiness of the wolf, a fusion of terror, calmness, and the drifting wraith of pack life. Red was ready to defend her family with her life, Snow had learned that the night Anita had died. But Snow would do the same for her and she moved protectively in front of the wolf who was her best friend. Red was her family too, her _pack_. There came more rustling and breaking of foliage, closer still. Snow angled the bowline up to her cheek, preparing herself to see the intruder and take the shot. Adrenaline coursed through her veins like a magic spell, making her vision sharp as a knife and her muscles hard as a stone.

The cracking of underbrush was just in front of them, the shrubbery parted itself and out of the darkness stepped…a white wolf…wearing a red hood!

The golden eyes shifted from the ground to Snow's face and, if she wasn't mistaken, the expression in them was one of mild bewilderment. Snow felt her knees grow weak, not with terror, but relief. The fear that she'd have to shoot someone or watch Red battle an armored guard was dispelled. Compared to those images, the sight of the little wolf in the big red hood was almost comical.

"Oh," she sighed. "Rain! Thank gods…I…" She lowered the bow and relieved it of the arrow quickly. "Sorry!"

The white wolf stepped forward cautiously, still wearing the hood as it bumped along the forest floor, making as much noise as if it were a solid mass. No wonder they had heard so much racket! The hood dragging gave off the illusion a large, formidable foe was making its way towards them. Illuminated clearly by the light of the full moon, the white wolf's expression slid from confusion to unabashed delight as she recognized her compatriots. She bound forward, landing just underneath the chin of the black wolf and nipped lightly at Red's muzzle. To Snow's eyes, it was a clear invitation to play. The small one hopped and danced, taking time to bump her head affectionately on Snow's hand, and emanate giddy _yips _of delight. Snow could not help but giggle as her human ears caught the meaning of the wolfie sounds: _We made it!_

Red, however, seemed a little less amused. The big wolf chided the small wolf, not harshly as one might expect from an alpha, but softly with a gentle growl from the throat as she lowered her head to touch noses with the cub. Rain licked her face, keeping her head low, her ears flattened, and her tail tucked underneath her belly. Snow got the impression this was a wolf thing, that Red was showing her dominance and gently scolding Rain for making her worry. But it seemed…like a pass of trust shared by two pack mates. Not something harsh like she always imagined wolf hierarchy to be. Or perhaps this pack was different than most wolf packs?

As the white one slipped back a step and ducked her furry head even further, the red hood suddenly slid over her face. For a moment, she was caught in confusion underneath the heavy cloth and her little yips now sounded like _help_!Snow quickly stepped forward and removed Red's hood.

The second the article glided away, Rain the human now crouched on her haunches next to the big black wolf. "Thank gods!" Rain spat out the words and pushed the medium spill of hair off her forehead. "That…_thing_ has got to be one of the most powerful magical articles in the whole Enchanted Forest. I just touched it with my hands and I could not turn!" She drew herself up, all 5 feet of her height, and jerked her head back to flip the dark tresses off her face.

Snow meanwhile stepped back, turned to the black wolf, and flung the hood over the animal in one swift movement. The animal looked up at her, puzzled for a moment and then its legs stiffened and began to lengthen. The furry head dropped into a nod, and then straightened itself up, no longer furry but with the same dark hazel eyes.

Red stood up and clasped Snow's trembling body to hers. "Thank you Snow," she breathed out.

"You're welcome," Snow said as she hugged back, knowing Red was talking about more than the cloak.

"Hey, wait a minute," Rain spoke up. "What about me? I risked life and limb to get that hood of yours back!" She stared up at both of them mutinously. Stubborn resistance.

Both Snow and Red chuckled at the young one's complaints and opened their arms to invite her into the embrace as well. Rain lost her rebellious expression in a second and beamed delightfully as she accepted the hugs with relish. What an emotional whirlwind the three were in and it still wasn't over! Snow felt so exhausted, her entire body aching after all of that adrenaline rush. Between hiding in the Enchanted Forest for hours, running to the parapets, then having to take down two guards before Red was run over, not to mention the scare that Rain had just given them both when she came gliding towards them, she was all but completely drained. But what remained to be seen was whether or not their mission was a success. Had the mermaid succeeded?

She was just about to ask when Rain spoke up, but she addressed Red first. "I'm sorry I kicked you. I'm glad you got out and I didn't though." She pushed her hair back again. "I went to the gate and found your cloak. I tried to carry it out but it kept preventing me from turning so I just had to wear it, and I did my best to…" She broke off as another train of thought struck her. "Besides, if I hadn't been there I would not have heard the mermaid's scream…"

Snow startled at that. "Uh oh. What happened?"

"Well…," Rain said with a hint of smugness, "Mermaids never scream because they're in danger. Mermaids scream to take down their enemies. So that can only mean that Ariel is alright."

Red frowned, perplexed. "Are you sure?"

Rain let out a snort. "Please! That mermaid has got a voice like no other. She could dispatch this entire castle if she wanted to. But then again, she'd have to do that after Eric confesses his undying love for her and then they could…"

"Wait, slow down—" Snow gestured for silence and narrowed her gaze, "—what's this about 'confessing love'?" Her mind raced as she tried to comprehend this new information, from the rather breathless, adventure-sick, young woman.

"Er, never mind," Rain mumbled, her eyes fixed on her boots as if they were the most fascinating things she'd ever seen. "We needn't worry; Ariel and Ella probably forgo the gate as well. My guess…they'll come out another way."

Snow cocked her head. "What're you not telling us?" she asked innocently, though her instincts already guessed at the answer. She could, after all, see past the end of her nose. "I take it you know something about…Ariel and Eric?"

"She's a mermaid," Rain said proudly. "They have they're ways." It was beginning to get chilly and Rain clutched her bare arms closer to her body. She had removed her long white shirt in an effort to remain more unseen by the guards, it was lying in the canal of the sluice, and the tight vest she wore underneath was not enough covering.

Behind them in the open space of the forests Red could hear the clatter of armor and steel weapons. Moon light shone through the open tree branches and the voices of the militia called back and forth as they came forward. The soldiers and horses were fanning out and searching among the trees and brambles of the forest.

"Curse them!" she snarled. "Can't they leave us alone for a minute? I suggest we leave now," she commented to the others. "They will be looking for wolves so we should not turn."

One of the armed men shouted, "Stop making so much noise you fools! You'll scare the beast off!"

Nothing could be gained by staying here, waiting for the mermaid and the maid, and getting caught at the same time. Snow agreed with Red, they had to leave.

It was not difficult to find their way through the forest. Despite the blanketing effect of the spring snow (almost gone by now, it was so warm), the woods were as Snow remembered them from her childhood. She decided leading Red and Rain by the stream up to the lake basin that encircled the palace was the safest, quickest route. Not that the palace was her home anymore, she thought sadly. A cruel fate it was indeed, running like a criminal from your own home. Could she ever go back? Would she even be able to? It was her _duty_ to protect the kingdom, she knew that; to be a benevolent queen like her mother had taught her. But now was not the time to let the ever-present guilt creep its way into her. _At least, not now_, she frowned and her face fell.

"Snow," Red saw her friend was troubled. "Are you alright?"

Snow hugged herself against the night wind as she thought of her mother and her kingdom. She did not want to cry in front of her friends, but it was torture to be forced away from her home. There was so much to do before she could go back, _if _she ever got back. But the thought of their mission tonight, a small clink in Regina's impermeable rule, strengthened her resolve and gave her a sense of hope. It was enough that they had defied the Evil Queen and helped reunite two young lovers. It was enough accomplishment for now.

With a firm nod, she addressed her friend. "I'll be fine Red."

She turned to glance one last time up at the castle, so luminous and monolithic against the dark night sky.

_Home. I will see it again_, she thought to herself.

…

Ariel was still thrashing frantically, trying not to scream underwater, when something coiled around her forearm and yanked her upward. She was too weak to resist very hard, but she did flail her arms until she broke through the surface of the water, bursting into the night air.

As her lungs adjusted to the presence of her gills, she could hear Eric breathing hard right next to her. A few strands of his hair stuck to his forehead, but most of it sagged onto his shoulders and water ran in rivulets down his face. He had swum downward and pulled her to the surface, but had he seen her tail? She stared at his face, just a few feet next to hers, but did not read any shock in his grey eyes. Not yet anyway.

He actually looked worried. "Belle…have you seen Belle?" he asked. "Or the other girl?"

Ariel spat out a mouthful of blood, and shook her head. In the distraction of her transformation, she had forgotten about the other two. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the water, focused on the ripples, the tastes, the flow, and the other movements that humans were unable to sense. There! Two masses moving in the water. No…not moving. Sinking! She did not hesitate. The mermaid spun around again, vaulted herself forward with a push of her mighty appendage, and charged in the directions of the two forms. The water rushed past her, and she kept pumping her powerful tail.

She shot through the liquid, the lake waves rolling above her head. Ariel kept looking around, her red hair a billowing mess that folded over her face. The fresh water was not pleasant to be in, it kept irritating her skin. Mermaids are not from fresh-water, they are native to the ocean. Her shirt dragged her every movement so much she was tempted to rip it right off, but she didn't. Not for modesty's sake, but because she was too rushed. Finally, she found the underflow she was looking for. She turned right, back towards the castle, and followed a small current to a section of the lake right underneath the connecting stone bridge.

Ella was bravely trying to reach the surface on her own, but her dress was soaked and the cloth was weighing her down. She was too weak and her lungs burned from the lack of air. She kept flailing her arms and kicking her legs, but the surface of the water was not getting any closer. Suddenly, a pair of small but strong hands took her, and she was racing across the water. Flying upward as if she were a dolphin.

_Or a mermaid_ Ella thought, her humor still present.

She plunged out of the water, the shock of impact driving any remaining air out of her lungs. But a split second later, she was inhaling the sweet _sweet_ air of the surface world. Never again would she take such a gift for granted. Ella turned to thank Ariel, but the mermaid was not looking at her. She was pulling Ella towards one of the pillars that held up the great stone bridge. The structure was surrounded by partially-submerged grey rocks that were taller than the mermaid was long. They were clearly a part of the original construction, but had fallen for lack of repairs or sealant and now jutted out like small stone islands in the lake. It was here that the mermaid secured Ella, then dove away, swimming fast towards the castle again.

Ella was not worried that she had been abandoned. She had a suspicion what the mermaid was trying to do, so she just clung to the barnacle-encrusted rock and stayed as still as a mouse. She was still floating in the lake, surrounded on all sides by danger, and Ella knew it would be better if she were quite. Her clothes were sopping wet and she was shaking from the cold, but she remained as she was until the mermaid broke the surface of the water just in front of her. The pretty brunette in tow.

"Are you both alright?" Ariel asked. Her gills were red slits of skin along the sides of her neck and they flared open as she spoke. Even though Ella knew that they should be there, the sight still shocked her.

"Y…yes I'm fine," she managed to squeak out.

Belle was gasping for breath and shaking her head as if trying to clear her vision. Ariel patted her lightly on the back as she coughed, trying to help her expel all the water. "I'm alright," she gasped. The mermaid still held on, but Belle twisted slightly free of her grip and studied her. The aquatic beast had just saved her life, pulled her free from a tangle of underwater weeds and brought her to the surface. She didn't know what to say, but she felt as if she should say _something_.

She settled on the truth. "I think Eric mentioned you a few times," she said at last.

Ariel helped Belle onto the rocks, next to Ella. "I don't know about that."

Belle was about to answer when a thundering of hooves and rattling of armor interrupted. Looking up quickly, Ariel could hear the militant horses on the stone bridge, just above them. The vibrations in the water were like a shout to her. A hoard of soldiers was leaving the castle, but it sounded like they were not after them. The Summer Palace was nestled on a hillside above this vast lake and was connected to the Enchanted Forest via the large stone bridge. That was where the group on horses was headed right now. They must be after Red and Rain but the mermaid had not doubt those two could take care of themselves, she was not worried about them.

She was worried about Eric though, he was still out on the water. She turned to face the other two, and looked hard into their eyes. Intent that they understand something. "I'm going to go back for him now. Will you be able to make it to shore from here?"

Ella nodded her head and Belle, though she looked fearfully up at the bridge, did the same after a moment.

As the mermaid splashed away, Ella addressed Belle. "Do you think she'll make him remember again?"

Belle smiled. "I hope so. I like her."

…

Wind and a light sprinkle of spring rain pushed the lake waters into broad slow waves as Ariel and Eric made their way across the open water, towards the shore. The trees were few and far between, mostly willows that clustered along the meandering river branches. Ariel watched the foliage carefully; they were still very close to the castle and within dangerous territory. Eric swam close behind, keeping an eye on both the shore, and her.

She didn't like the abrupt circumstances that forced her to reveal her mermaid self to him, but there was no choice, they had to leave the castle, and the sewers had been the only way. She wished she'd had a chance to explain it to him, make him understand better. Still, he did not act appalled as she gently took his arm and pulled him to the shore. Eric had been more than understanding that time in the ocean, when he'd first seen not only her, but her entire pod. Now, he'd seen her tail again and had not said a word about it. She did not know if that was a good or bad sign.

They came to the shallows of the shore and Eric was able to stand knee-deep in the muddy waters. Ariel had to contend with her bulky tail, never an easy task even when she was in the best of conditions. She slapped her fins against the water, frustrated and mortally embarrassed at what she was now forced to do: move forward like some sort of slug or snake in the lake mud. As she continued her degrading struggle, she heard someone clear his throat.

It was Eric kneeling next to her. He angled his arms forward, raising his eyebrows to convey his intent. "May I?"

Ariel nodded and put one arm around his neck as his hands slipped underneath her. When he lifted her, the filthy water cascaded off her body in one swoop and her long, magnificent emerald tail suddenly gleamed in the moonlight. Ariel held Eric's gaze as he stepped slowly onto the muddy shore, daring him to make a comment, good or bad.

"Where should we go?" he asked her.

"Left," Ariel answered, a note of relief in her voice because his first question was not about her tail. She hooked her hands together behind his neck and eased herself forward a little to what she hoped was a more comfortable position for him to carry her.

As they both walked along the shoreline away from the water, the change came again. The last water drop fell from her translucent fin tip and then the bones began to reform. Ariel started to worry, worry that Eric would see what happens, worry that she would not be able to take another transformation. She leaned herself forward and whispered into his ear, "Don't be afraid."

He did not have time to answer because he felt the scales under his hand change, disappear under his very fingers and smooth out into…skin? Eric looked down and right before his eyes, saw the fish tail shrink and reform itself into Ariel's long legs. _Beautiful legs_, he thought to himself before realizing his arms were now on the girl's thighs, not her tail, and if he were to move his hand up a little further…his face flushed a bright red and he almost dropped her, then and there. Instead, he pushed his breath out and lowered her to the ground, forcing himself to go slowly.

The mermaid stood next to him with only her servant tunic top on, it came down only to her thighs and the fact that it was dripping wet left little to his imagination what was underneath. She had lost her leggings, her boots, and even her skirt to the castle lake. She wasn't even trying to cover herself up and Eric found himself both wishing he had something to offer her to wear, and hoping that she would just stay as she was.

"I…I uh,…" he started to stammer. _Dammit!_ Why was he acting a fool in front of her? He blushed an even brighter red.

The mermaid's eye rolled heavenward but just as she was about to say something, the shouts of more guards come from the stone bridge. Ariel grabbed Eric's hand, and pulled him through the woods, maneuvering them away from the shoreline down a dark path until the castle disappeared behind the thick tree trunks. They darted through the forest until Ariel finally stopped, her legs too tired to move much further. She staggered and leaned heavily on a tree stump. Her limbs were shaking so hard from the exertion that she had to grab her knees with her hands, heaving for a good breath. The air was harder to breath than the water, but her rehabilitated lungs were doing their best to work with it.

As she rested, Eric came closer. "Why did you save me?" he asked, bending his head a little so he could look her in the eye. Eric looked calmer than she had ever seen him before. His face was soft in the moonlight.

Ariel tilted her head. "I know you don't remember me, but I couldn't let you suffer for my sake. I heard that you were taken and well…" She reached out and took Eric's hand in hers, remembering how he had offered on his own to help her up. "I knew that you were worth saving, when we were out on the sea together and you defended me." She smiled. "Against a whole pod of savage mermaids."

"How do you know about that?" Eric asked. He pulled his hand out of Ariel's, uncertain of this strange girl. They'd known each other for a few hours. No matter how much this girl had helped him, she was still a stranger to him. How could she possibly know about the visions of mermaids that kept popping into his head?

Ariel looked at Eric. "I know…because I was there." She turned to look up at the moon, so bright and shining the canopy of stars. No wonder Red loved it.

Eric felt his cheeks burn and his eyes narrowed. The girl could not have known what she was saying. Why did it matter that she was there? How could she have known his feelings? Eric was not superstitious but now, he was not sure of anything. Eric looked down at her hands. They were still shaking, even though the transformation was over. When he glanced back up, the mermaid was staring hard at him. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's just…you were the first person I ever met that came to know me…you were my first friend, and then I thought we might be something more, but we never got the chance." She shrugged, not understanding the significance of her own words, then continued. "You saw me. For _me_. When I had nothing, came from nothing…that really meant something."

He thought about what she had said. Somehow, it did not surprise him. They way she had saved him in the castle, risked her life to get him out of there, and then brought him to safety, that meant something too. She had something inside of her, something that he recognized, something that he could _feel _was familiar.

Ariel sat on the tree stump, wrapping her thin arms around her chest for warmth. Her boney knees started shaking as the pain came to them again, but Eric stood right in front of her. Why couldn't he leave her in peace for a moment? "What?" she finally asked when she could not take it any longer. A single tear slid out of her dark blue orbs but before she could bat it away, Eric reached out and stroked her cheek.

"You saved me," he finally said. He shook his head in disbelief. "No one's ever saved my life before."

Ariel smiled at him. "No one that you can remember," she said softly. Then she lowered her head, staring at her bare toes underneath her.

Eric cocked his head to one side, curious. "I don't understand that," he said, shaking his head. His voice was calmer now and he was feeling less anxious. "But I do understand that I feel…less lost when I am with you."

She looked back up at him, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks. "That's what I always thought when I was with you," Ariel started. "How we could talk about anything…even though I could not talk…" His sharp grey eyes stared back at her, as if he understood everything she was thinking and feeling. She would have gone on, but he was leaning closer, his eyes searching her face, looking hard for something he should recognize. He leaned closer still, and she let him stroke her cheek. His hand trembled.

"What are you doing?" she whispered, glancing up to meet his part-dazed, part-determined gaze.

Eric swallowed, praying that this was the right thing to do. "You said that I could not remember you," he murmured, so close that she could feel his breath on her lips. "Maybe we can…fix that somehow?" He cupped her cheek in his hands. "I want to remember you," he said softly after some thought. A part of him was tentative, afraid that he was acting foolishly, fearful that what she had said was untrue and she was a liar. But he wanted so _badly _for it to be true, he wanted the fear, the desperation, the loneliness gone for good.

Ariel's heart stuttered when she felt his mouth move forward to rest gently on top of her own. And then…she was kissing him too. His hands went into her wet hair and his lips melted into hers, while she grabbed his shirt and held on tight. She felt herself let go. There were no bloodthirsty mermaids hovering nearby, no Evil Queen with her perverse invasion of heart-grabbing, no black guards with weapons in hand. This was different, _so_ very different, from the last time they had kissed; the heated passions of young love, the likes of which neither one had ever experienced before, overwhelmed it all.

Exhausted and injured, Ariel still found the strength to pull herself up and push her whole body into his hard form. His mouth was moist and passionate against her own, his hands fisting into her hair and his lean torso strong against her breasts. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kept searching him with her lips, lost in the sensation of his delicious tongue rolling against her own. His hands slid down to the back of her neck to hold her even closer.

Even though she could have stayed in his arms for all eternity, she felt Eric gently extract himself and ease backwards. Ariel pulled back too and tried to catch her breath.

"Eric?" she panted, and saw his confusion crumble in an instant.

Eric sucked in his breath, feeling his heart sting but then complete itself all in one motion. "Ariel?"

She leaned forward again, taking his stubbled cheeks into her small, wet hands. "Yes," she whispered, her smile as big as the moon and just as dazzling. "It's me Eric."

"It…it's you!" His eyes widened and he looked about ready to fall over. Ariel caught his arms, but she needn't have worried. He simply adjusted his legs, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her again. Just as passionately as before. When it was over, he was smiling wider than she was. "I missed you Ariel."

"I noticed."

* * *

**It's not over yet folks! Wait for one more final installment…coming tomorrow!**

**In the meantime…let me know what you think in a review!**


	18. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**...**

Ariel and Eric were matching each other's passionate kisses and warm caresses, caresses that continued to lead further into their wet, threadbare clothes, until finally someone cleared her throat and quietly said, "You know Eric…I helped rescue you too."

Ariel pulled back from Eric's lips and tried to catch her breath. There, standing not 5 meters away with an amused grin on her face, was Ella. Ariel felt as if she could have shoved Ella back into the lake for interrupting their reunion, but it was probably best that they had stopped. They were still within a league of the Queen's castle and Snow had said that the knights often patrolled the boundaries extensively. After all, this was not the safest place to be celebrating in such a _human _way, even though it was such fun.

Eric smiled his dazzling whites and walked over to Ella to scoop her in a big, bone-crunching hug. He stood, hugging her hard, and spun in a circle until the maid giggled delightfully, hugging him back just as hard. "Eric you're going to be in trouble," she piped up after he set her down.

Eric blushed. "I'm sorry…that wasn't very polite was it?" He had turned to Ariel to address her, but she did not understand what the problem was. He was greeting his friend why would that make him in trouble? Why did humans apologize about the oddest things? Eric glanced down at Ariel's bare legs. She had not thought it possible, but he managed to blush an even deeper shade of crimson at the state of her undress. "I...that is, _we_ should find you some clothes Ariel."

Ariel rolled her eyes to the heavens. "I don't understand you people's obsession with these _clothes_. First you can't wait to get them off and now we have to go find more, and then I'm sure you'll want to find _female _clothes-"

"Ariel, how are your legs?"

Eric's interruption was so sudden, Ariel was surprised out of her ranting and raving. "What?" she asked stupidly.

"Your legs," Eric repeated, as he and Ella approached her. "They were giving you such pains earlier." He glanced at her thighs, then jerked his eyes up again, his face even redder then before. "If you need me to carry you again, I can."

"I…I feel well now," Ariel said, surprised herself. And she did, the pain in her legs were completely gone. Ariel looked down at her bare feet. Her feet did not hurt anymore, either. In fact, she felt absolutely wonderful. Dirty, in ripped clothing, wet to the bone, hungry, but wonderful! She waited for Eric to say more, but his attention had gone to her mouth.

"You…you can talk?" he said slowly. "You did not speak a word until…we were in the water together and then you had a …tail?"

"Eric, don't you remember," Ella interrupted. "Ariel is a mermaid."

"Ella!" Ariel did not know whether to throw something at her friend or laugh out loud.

Eric's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything. Yet.

"You _are_ a lot better now," Ella added, cocking her head at Ariel. "What cured your pains?"

_True love!_

All three teenagers jumped. Strolling out of the depths of the Enchanted Forest was a tall, regal-looking woman wearing a long green cloak and a quiver of arrows with a pure white wolf trotting gaily at her side: Snow White and Rain the wolf. The wolf was the one who had spoken up, using a short bark and low, extending rumble in her throat that all understood perfectly, thanks to the gift of a mermaid's voice. Snow smiled at all of them, as if it were normal to have half-dress, dripping wet teenagers as company in the middle of the night. But then, with her life as it was now, such things _were_ often normal. They all looked a bit out of breath, frazzled from escaping the lake, but appeared to be all in one piece.

"Who are you?" asked Eric, somewhat suspiciously. He seemed a little intimidated by the new pair, his eyes glanced nervously at the wolf.

"They're our friends," Ariel answered quickly. She addressed Snow. "Did everyone make it?"

"Yes," the princess smiled, her gentle face lit up with sheer happiness at the sight of the two united lovers and Ella, safe and sound. "Red is leading the hunting party away right now."

"What about that other woman…Belle?" Ella spoke up. "When we both got to shore, she took off…saying something about needing to get to a 'Rumple' and help him."

_Don't worry, she couldn't have gone far_. Rain snapped at the air, then let out a snort. _I'll head her off and escort her to…wherever she wants to go. I hope she won't mind traveling with a beast._ The wolf shook her furry face and as she stepped forward, changed her form as easily as one slips off a blouse. The night light made her deep tan skin a few shades darker than usual, her big golden eyes shined in their glee. "I knew it!" Rain called out, hopping from one foot to the other, her hands clapping together, quivering in excitement. "I knew true love would save you mermaid!"

Both Ella and Eric shrieked. The wolf immediately lost her giddy expression and turned apologetic. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I thought that Ariel told you I...I can...I can do that."

"Do that?" Eric stammered. "I didn't know anyone could...do that."

As quickly as she had wilted, Rain was ecstatic once again. She threw her arms around Ariel, nearly hugging the breath out of her. Still squeezing tight she lifted the mermaid off her feet and oddly, began to hop up and down with excitment. Her grip reminded Ariel that Rain had about as much experiences with hugs as she did, it was lower than what most humans did and too strong. Breaking away, Rain said to her. "You are free now."

"What…what do you mean?" asked Ariel, massaging her abdomen.

"Didn't you know? I thought for sure that was why you were saving your true love…" Rain blushed, but continued to explain. She seemed to be the only one in the know-how. "I spoke with Ursula the Sea Witch. She had stripped away half of your being, your very form, and you would have died if not for the help of true love."

"I…lost my form?" Ariel was shocked. That was why she felt those pains? Why she had been so weak and strained this last month, she had been on the verge of death and did not know about it.

Rain scratched her dark hair with a thought, looking hard at the mermaid. "I thought you knew, but had I told you I supposed it would not have worked. It would have instilled doubt, and that doubt would have prevented anything from happening. True love, it has to happen on its own, not by anyone _making _it happen. At least…that's what the stories always say. To have truly worked, it would mean his willingness to give himself over to you, his very soul, despite everything that has happened. And so it must have worked because you have a new soul and he has his!"

While the mermaid was taking all of this in, Rain turned to Eric. "You saved her life." She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a quick kiss while he was distracted. His eyes went wide, and he didn't move, shocked. Rain rolled her eyes and turned to Ariel. "_Men_! How long were you going to wait to tell him?"

Ariel shrugged. "I did not know myself. I just wanted to save him because…I wanted to."

Eric drew a deep breath that sounded like a small gasp. Her eyes found his and he held the gaze of her deep blue eyes for a long time. She didn't look away but her eyes filled with tears of happiness. More than anything in the world, he wanted to put his arms around her and kiss her again. He started to say something, when Snow interrupted. "We should go now, there may be more coming."

The moon was shining through the coniferous trees, allowing the pathway to light up as they all passed through gentle rolling hills of the Enchanted Forest. They didn't talk for fear of the guards that were patrolling the woods. For once, Ariel did not care to use her voice. She was thinking about what the wolf had said. True love, she mused; she had not thought about it in a long time, not since that awful time in the ocean when she first met Rumplestiltskin. But if what the wolf said was true, and Ariel trusted her…she and Eric had done what had never been done before. Ariel was now a completed form, mermaid and human, a voice and soul in one. That was a complicated thought, but it had been a long day and she was too tired to think very hard on it.

By a stand of aspens, Snow turned them all on a small trail that would lead them past a main road. The woods were devoid of any presence of guards, Red was obviously doing a good job of confusing them with her combination of wolf and human tracks. The narrow path snacked its way through the overlaying forest wilds. The crisp, clean smell of a game trail made Ariel smile, and she could hear the retreating sounds of the lapping lake water behind them. The stars shone down from the open coverage, twinkling happily as if they knew it was a night of celebration.

Further down, they came to an open area of bare rock, the piney trees made way for more aspen and maples. Here Snow paused; they were at the crossroads now. One section of the path led to the main road, arching towards the village, the other further into the forest. "I've got to be heading back now," Ella spoke up, breaking the spell of the silence. "I am sure my stepsisters have a pile of laundry just waiting for me as a coming-home gift."

"You're going back to that awful place?" Ariel was indignant.

"For now…yes," Ella said softly as she nodded. The steely glint in her light blue eyes told the mermaid not to argue. "I need to take care of my home."

"And I'm out too," Rain tilted her head up, sniffing the wind. "I can catch up with…'Belle' was it? She'll need some protection if she's to get through these woods." She hunched her back, readying herself for the change, when she suddenly thought of something and turned to speak directly to Ariel. "Take care of yourself mermaid. Remember, I owe a great deal to your kind, so if you ever need assistance on…anything at all, just sing. Sing me to you." With that somewhat cryptic statement, she turned, bounded away, and changed into the white wolf in mid-air. Making happy wolfie sounds as always, Rain exploded into the night, the forest floor flying underneath her paws.

The quartet watched her bound off for a moment, all a little shocked at seeing the sudden transformation from wolf to woman. Snow finally spoke up. "I'll help escort you back Ella." She draped a gloved arm over the younger woman's thin shoulders, shoulders that had to bear so much weight. But now…not alone.

Ariel turned her face away so that her friends would not see her tears. Sorrow like mourning song filled her heart, sending tingles down her arms to her fingers. She did not want to say good-bye. Rain had departed too abruptly, she did not even have time to say farewell. Why was it so hard to part ways? Human emotions were so annoying sometimes! Despite her misgivings, she bravely gave both women a parting hug, sniffing a little, but managing not to look completely foolish. If not for Eric standing next to her, she would be blubbering like an idiot or begging her friends not to leave.

Not just her friends…her _family_, she corrected herself. That was what they were now, a family.

As she let go of Snow White, the little mermaid suddenly thought of something. Something that would insure that they would see each other again. The moment Snow let go, Ariel gripped her hand in a strong clench and looked intently up into her forest-green eyes. "Snow…when the time comes and you start the fight to take back your throne…"

Snow shook her head hard. "Ariel, I'm not going to…," she started to say.

"When it comes to the battle to_ take back the kingdom_…" Ariel's voice had a harsh edge to it now. "Just call on me, and I will fight by your side." She clapped a hand on Snow's shoulder in a manner befitting a sailor. "Mermaids…we are more than the stories say. We have our own magic and I will always be your ally."

"And so will I," Eric spoke up.

"I will too!" Ella added her voice to the melee.

Snow was at a loss for words. A year ago, the thought of fighting against Regina would have sent cascades of fear down her spine. Now, the words of her friends…their _faith _in her… brought her back in full force. She gulped to herself and took a deep breath. "I'm…," she sighed, not wanting to crush the mermaid's trust. "I'm not sure that will happen Ariel. At least, not anytime soon…but if…if I ever decide to…"

"You will!" Ariel appeared to be holding onto this belief so hard, Snow was not willing to argue further. "I know you will. Someday…I think Snow White will take back her kingdom."

…

By the time Snow and Ella had reached the main road, Eric and Ariel were still walking hand-in-hand through the Enchanted Forest. They had no worries about hunters. Ariel's mermaid senses told her that all was clear, the woods were theirs for now. The sky was devoid of any overcast, the bright moonlight foretelling good weather to come. The large trees of the forest grew so close they held back the night's breeze and its chill, making the trail a safe refuge from the cold and filling the air with aromatics of cone trees and clean earth.

Crossing a small brook, they came to an open space of early spring wildflowers, the blue and white blossoms covering the ground like a regal carpet. Ariel stopped to smell some. She remembered the time, long ago now, when she and Eric had been in the market together and she had smelled a flower for the first time in her life.

Eric stood next to her, and waited until she straightened up, wondering at this amazing girl. She had saved him, in a way that no one else could. He was young and inexperienced in matters of the heart, but he did know that he wanted to be with her. He could not imagine being with anyone else. Her courage, her heart, her marvel at the world and all its wonders…he would not see that in anyone else but her. Ariel, the little mermaid.

While Eric was lost in his thoughts, Ariel stood and joined him. She tucked a strand of her uneven hair behind her ear, and smiled up at him. He grinned back, for no other reason than her smile made him so inexplicitly happy.

"You know…" she whispered her eyes mischievous. "We never got to finish our dance."

Eric narrowed his eyes. "What dance?"

Ariel took his hands in hers, squeezing them lightly. "At the Harvest Festival! Don't you remember?" The breeze blew stray wisps of her silky hair back over her cheeks.

And he did, that night at the festival was ingrained in his mind forever. The way her face was lit up with wonder, her hair long, full, and glowing as if on fire, and every other sensation that he could remember. From the raised platform at the center of the village square the quartet of strings had sounded a cheery tune into the fall night. As he closed his eyes at the memory, he could feel her own eyes on him. He looked back at her. "Of course I do" She was so close he only had to speak in a whisper.

She shrugged but her face betrayed her inner thoughts. She had something in mind, something that involved the memory of their first dance together. "Eric, would you…" For a moment it seemed she was going to ask him something, something that he had once asked her.

She looked so beautiful in the moonlight. Not just the way she looked but her whole being. Eric did not even pretend to understand what the wolf had said earlier about souls and true love, and Sea Witch's stealing mermaid's forms, but he did know that she was special. And not just because she was a mermaid. He finished her thoughts, "I would love to dance Ariel."

He smiled and bowed, like the gentleman he had been taught to be. Ariel grinned shyly up at him, then bent her legs into a curtsy. Just as clumsy as the first one she had done so long ago, but somehow it seemed fitting for her. They approached each other and placed their respective arms in the proper places. They swayed back and forth, back and forth, waltzing to the rhythm of a song they both remembered so well. Eric recalled the way she had stepped closer to him that night and the look in her eyes when she had done it. "I wish we had the musicians here now."

Ariel put her hand on the side of his face. "We have something more." She smiled her special smile, the one that spoke of wonder and excitement, the one that sparked of curiosity. Then, she began to vocalize to a song:

_Now's your moment_

_Floating in a blue lagoon_

_Boy, you better do it soon_

_No time will be better_

Eric threw back his head and laughed gleefully out loud. She had the same song in her head, from that night so long ago, and he wanted her to continue to sing. More than anything. Her voice...it was the most wonderful voice in the whole world.

_She don't say a word_

_And she won't say a word_

_Until you..._

He leaned forward, and so did she, before the last lyric left her lips. When they were done, Ariel's beautiful voice took to the air. Her heart, dreams, and joy lifted with it.

_Kiss the girl!_

* * *

**The End!**

**That is final chapter of my adventure in writing "The Mermaid's Tail" **

**Many many thanks to my steady readers, reviewers who took the time to tell me their thoughts, and good friends that I've made along the way…you know who you are!**

**I am planning a sequel to this tale. A story of the many adventures of Snow, Charming, Ariel, Red, Rain, and the whole gang before the fall of the evil queen. Coming soon!**


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